Among the winners are such names as Zico, Kaladze, Andrea Giani and Manuel Bortuzzo

 

ROME - The curtain lifts for the 23rd Fair Play-Menarini International Awards, with the official presentation this morning at the stunning Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) Hall of Honour in Rome. At this pantheon of Italian sport, CONI Chairman Giovanni Malagò was present for the unveiling of the 2019 awards programme and the names of the winners to be recognised at the ceremony scheduled for 4 July 2019 in Castiglion Fiorentino (Arezzo). Established in 1997 with the intention to deepen awareness around the fundamental values of sport, over the years, the Fair Play-Menarini Awards have recognised champions, leaders and institutions distinguished for an ethical approach that connects the sports world to society. Selected by an international panel, among this year’s winners are stand-outs like historical figures Andrea Giani, Antonello Riva and Zico, institutional figure Mauro Balata, the President of Lega Serie B; champion Derartu Tulu, the first African woman of colour to win an Olympic medal; Manuel Bortuzzo, the young swimmer who recently survived a traumatic event; and many others. 

“I am honoured to present the 23rd Fair Play-Menarini Awards at the CONI Hall of Honour”, began Giovanni Malagò. “We find ourselves here, at the home of Italian sport, to commemorate an award that has gained unprecedented recognition over its first 23 years. In promoting the values of ethics and fair play, we consider this a fundamental demonstration of the quality and commitment of the Italian sports industry and its numerous achievements". 

Menarini Pharmaceutical Group has supported the awards for the last 7 years and, in the name of ethics and fair play, is proud to confirm that it will once more be the title sponsor of the event. “Menarini wanted to sponsor for the seventh consecutive year to celebrate the global sporting scene”, stated Ennio Troiano, Corporate Director of Human Resources at Menarini. “The Fair Play-Menarini Awards aim to be a sounding board for the positive values in sport which inspire the champions who decorate the podiums of the world, who earn their place with sheer natural talent and who do not take shortcuts, all this so that they can be an example to the younger generation, both in the sports world and in daily life as well”.

The 23rd Fair Play-Menarini Awards is a three-day celebration full of events and initiatives that promote the concept of loyalty in sports and culminate in the showcase event on Thursday 4th July, which will be hosted by Rachele Sangiuliano and Lorenzo Dallari and broadcast live from 8.30 p.m. on SportItalia. “Presenting the Fair Play-Menarini Awards every year at the CONI Hall of Honour gives us great pride and satisfaction, but there are really no words to express how thrilled we are to involve such a selection of champions from so many parts of the world”, said Angelo Morelli, Chairman of the International Fair Play Awards Association. “These individuals have graced the pages of sports history, but have worn their well-deserved medals with both humility and a sense of duty, the perfect ambassadors for the positive messages in support of true and fair sports. It is thanks to them, their presence and their embodiment of our values that the awards have reached the level they have over the last 23 years.”