A magical night in Castiglion Fiorentino for the 25th Menarini International Fair Play Award

A veritable shower of emotions was the one that accompanied the award ceremony of the 25th Menarini International Fair Play Award, among illustrious guests and great legends of Italian and world sport. A truly special 2021 edition that saw the kermesse dedicated to ethics and fair play return to the track, after the 2020 restrictions, with a complete program full of collateral events, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its foundation in a big way. . In Castiglion Fiorentino, in the evocative setting of the Loggiato Vasariano in Piazza del Municipio, embellished for the occasion by a spectacular scenography, the brightest stars of the Italian and international sports scene shone, making themselves bearers, through their stories, of messages of trust. , commitment and great humanity. “We are celebrating the first twenty-five years of the Menarini Fair Play Award: an incredible result in an exceptional year for Italian sport – said Ennio Troiano, Menarini Global Human Resources Director – We hope that the values ​​of fair play, founded on the sharing of principles that represent the true essence of sport, can help us look to the future with optimism. “Broadcast live on Sportitalia (digital terrestrial channel 60), the magical evening of the Menarini Fair Play once again saw the journalist Lorenzo Dallari and the ‘former volleyball player Rachele Sangiuliano, a proven couple who, again this year, guided us through the stories and successes of the big names who, on stage, collected the coveted award: from the former Swedish tennis player Stefan Edberg to the basketball icon Pierluigi Marzorati, from the Iron Lady of swimming Katinka Hosszu to the eclectic Patrizio Oliva, from the soccer player Eleonora Goldoni to the two Italian Olympians Romano Battis ti and Matteo Marconcini, passing through the great names of football Sinisa Mihajlovic, Patrick Kluivert and Massimo Bonini. Great emotion was aroused by the assignment of the Special Prize dedicated to the memory of Paolo Rossi, collected by Marco Tardelli and Hansi Müller, while a roar of applause was the carpet for the arrival of the vests Valentina Rodini and Federica Cesarini who, after the Olympic gold won at the Tokyo 2020 Games, they collected the special award “Italy in the heart”. And if the category “Narrating the emotions”, since last year dedicated to the memory of Franco Lauro, went to the sports journalist of Mediaset Lucia Blini, and the “Sustenium Energia e Cuore” award to the former whistle Pierluigi Collina, to win the Prize special “Study and sport”, the result of the illustrious collaboration with the Sports Center of the Yellow Flames, was the young walker Sofia Fiorini. “There are no words to describe the emotion of having lived an evening like this. An evening in which moments of joy were not lacking, alternating with moments of great reflection, especially as regards the prize dedicated to the memory of the great champion Paolo Rossi in the category ‘Model for young people’, awarded to Marco Tardelli and Hansi Müller, two great friends of Pablito – says Angelo Morelli, president of the organizing committee of the award – They have been twenty-five years of hard work, but also of great satisfaction, emotions and personal wealth. Having been able to rejoice in the presence of so many champions, coming from all over the world, was such a great thing for us organizers that we couldn’t even tell it. We thank organizations, institutions, journalists and sponsors for being so close to us and for believing in our project. And, last but not least, our thanks also go to all those who collaborated in the realization of the event, a team that is certainly close-knit and responsible “. Among the highlights of the evening, it is impossible not to include the official presentation of the stamp dedicated to the 25th edition of the Fair Play Mecenate Award: a celebratory stamp, belonging to the thematic series “Sport”, which will be issued by the Ministry of Economic Development. “In this difficult and, at times, dramatic year, one of the most used words is resilience – declared Mauro Sereni of Consultinvest, main sponsor of the event since 2013 – Courage, dedication, determination and loyalty, never as today, must be words that support us. and the Menarini Fair Play Award has always been committed to enhancing and disseminating these principles ”. Great satisfaction also on the part of the mayor Mario Agnelli, mayor of the Municipality of Castiglion Fiorentino who, for nine years now, has woven a double thread with the award and its founding principles, so much so as to boast the title of city European Union for the promotion of fair play values ​​in the world. “Of the twenty-five editions that went on stage, it was enough for me to attend the last ones held in Castiglion Fiorentino to classify the Menarini Fair Play Award as a unique event of its kind and our goal has always been to prove ourselves up to the blazon of the award – declares the mayor Mario Agnelli – Being able to host it is a privilege of which we can only be proud, also because the award has contributed to increasing the image of our city at an international level, both in terms of promotion and from a sporting and value point of view. In full compliance with all safety measures, the 25-year edition was a great success and ended respecting the expectations that had been created. ”Below is the complete list of the winners of the 25th Menarini International Fair Play Award: Massimo Bonini – “Fair play” category Stefan Edberg – “Career in fair play” category Sinisa Mihajlovic – “Sport and health” category Pierluigi Marzorati – “A life for sport” category Eleonora Goldoni – “Fair play and solidarity” category Matteo Marconcini – “Promotion of sport” category Patrizio Oliva – “Sport and life” category Katinka Hosszu – “Mythical character” category Patrick Kluivert – “The social values ​​of sport” category Romano Battisti – “Sport beyond sport” category Marco Tardelli and Hansi Müller – Paolo Rossi special prize “Model for young people” Pierluigi Collina – Sustenium special prize “Energy and heart” Valentina Rodini and Federica Cesarini – Special prize “Italy in the heart” Lights to Blini – Franco Lauro Special Prize “Narrating emotions” Sofia Fiorini – Fiamme Gialle Prize “Study and sport”