On its 25^th anniversary, the International Fair Play - Menarini Award dedicates a prize to the Tuscan champion and global fair play ambassador.

AREZZO - The dedication of a prize to the memory of Paolo Rossi will be one of the most moving moments of the XXV International Fair Play – Menarini Award ceremony, planned for Wednesday 1^st September in Castiglion Fiorentino. Last December, the sporting world was plunged into mourning following the death of the Tuscan champion. The sad news also came as a blow to the Fair Play – Menarini family, which had presented him with an award in 2010 and, in the summer of 2019, had the honour of hosting him on the occasion of the talk show “Champions tell their stories” alongside his friend, Zico. Therefore, from this year on, the “Modello per i giovani” (Youth Role Model) category will be named after Paolo Rossi. The prize will be awarded to a candidate who the Jury considers capable of embodying all the values and principles which the world champion — affectionately known as “Pablito” — stood for, both on and off the football pitch.

“We are delighted to name the “Youth Role Model” category in memory of Paolo Rossi, whose award in 2010 made him a fair play Ambassador around the world, in recognition of how he lived his life — as an athlete, a man, a husband and a father — in the pursuit of decency, respect for others, and fair play in all things”, declares Angelo Morelli, president of the organising committee for the Fair Play Awards. “We are honoured that his wife, Federica Cappelletti, has accepted our proposal in the hope that recipients of this prize will be able to honour Paolo’s memory by sharing everything that this great champion did and represented for the world of sport throughout his life.”

The dedication of the “Youth Role Model” prize to Paolo Rossi will be accompanied by the publication of a series of clips paying homage to his memory on the social media channels of the International Fair Play – Menarini Award. In three short videos his wife, Federica Cappelletti, will relate some of the emotional highlights of Rossi’s career, giving a heartfelt explanation of how the values of fair play, ethical conduct and teamwork always shaped the Tuscan footballer’s perspective on sport and his commitment to social issues. The first video clip of this social media retrospective will be available from today (Friday 11 June) on the Facebook page, YouTube channel and Instagram profile of the International Fair Play - Menarini Award, while the following two will appear on Wednesday 16 June and Monday 21 June.

“For Paolo, fair play was always a way of life”, says Federica Cappelletti, wife of Paolo Rossi. “He always said that decency, values, and the spirit of friendship and collaboration were essential both on and off the pitch. Because of his understanding of fair play as a guiding principle in life, he was so pleased to receive the Fair Play – Menarini Prize in 2010, an accolade that fully reflected what was in his soul and the way that he lived. I can only say how thankful I am that this prize is being named in his memory. I hope that those who receive this award will truly embody the principles and the values that Paolo always conveyed to the whole world”.