PR96926

FLORENCE, Italy, July 8, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

Intense emotions and immense satisfaction were in the air during the final

event of the XXVI Fair Play Menarini International Award. Yesterday evening,

the award ceremony for the winners of the 2022 edition in Castiglion Fiorentino

(Arezzo) drew an enjoyable end to this celebration of the values of

sportsmanship, organised by the Fair Play Menarini Foundation.

Ethics, loyalty and respect once more took centre stage to be celebrated

through the sporting personalities who, as of today, have officially become

ambassadors for the message of the Award. This prestigious accolade once again

provided an extraordinary opportunity to acknowledge  and share the best of

sporting culture, whilst flying the flag for universal ideals, success stories,

altruism and hope, the fight against discrimination, and friendship despite

differences.

"We are pleased to have rewarded champions who, during their careers, have been

the standard bearers of very important principles, such as ethics, loyalty and

respect" – stated Lucia and Alberto Giovanni Aleotti, shareholders and Board

Members of Menarini – "Inspired by these past few days, we look forward to

seeing you at the next edition so that we may continue to elevate the values of

fair play ever higher."

The wonderful final evening of this celebration of fair play, hosted by Lorenzo

Dallari and Rachele Sangiuliano and broadcast live on Sportitalia, was made all

the brighter for the dazzling light of "la Divina" Federica Pellegrini, winner

of the first Olympic gold in Italian swimming history and the eternal pride of

the national sport scene. A trio of football giants stepped out onto the stage

in Castiglion Fiorentino, including former heroes of the pitch Roberto Donadoni

and Massimo Ambrosini.

Those present in the piazza gave an unforgettable welcome to record-breaking

Australians Casey Stoner and Ian Thorpe, champions of the race track and the

pool respectively, and to ex-footballer Fabrizio Ravanelli, winner of the Paolo

Rossi Special Award in the "Youth Role Model" Category, presented by the wife

of "Pablito" himself, Federica Cappelletti. Also taking their turn in the Fair

Play limelight were diver and champion of the water Tania Cagnotto, volleyball

star Marco Bracci and Olympic target-shooting champion from San Marino

Alessandra Perilli, as well as this edition's rising young stars: taekwondo

champion Vito Dell'Aquila and Stefania Constantini, Italy's first-ever Olympic

medal winner for curling in the mixed doubles. Two plaques were awarded in the

"Sport beyond Sport" category, to the super-duo of Paralympic Alpine skiing:

Giacomo Bertagnolli and Andrea Ravelli. Completing the roster of new Fair Play

Menarini Ambassadors, journalist Giorgio Porra who was presented with the

Franco Lauro Special Award "Narrating Emotions".

"With the conclusion of this latest edition, which was managed entirely by our

Foundation, we are advancing a mission that we believe to be crucial: using the

world of sport to spread ideals that we hope will gain more and more ground in

all of our everyday lives," remarked Antonello Biscini, Valeria Speroni Cardi

and Ennio Troiano, Board members of the Fair Play Menarini Foundation. "Today,

as we already turn our attention to the next edition, we want to thank the

award-winning champions and everybody who contributed to the success of the

XXVI Fair Play Menarini International Award."

The categories and winners of the XXVI Fair Play Menarini International Award

are:

- Category: Carriera Fair Play (Career in Fair Play) — ROBERTO DONADONI

- Category: Fair Play — MASSIMO AMBROSINI

- Category: Lo sport oltre lo sport (Sport Beyond Sport) — GIACOMO BERTAGNOLLI

and ANDREA RAVELLI

- Category: Il Gesto (The Gesture) — MARCELO BIELSA

- Category: Sport e vita (Sport and Life) — CASEY STONER

- Category: Una vita per lo sport (Lifetime Achievement in Sport) — MARCO BRACCI

- Category: Personaggio mito (Legendary Figure) — IAN THORPE

- Category: SUSTENIUM Energia e Cuore - Personaggio mito (Energy and Heart

SUSTENIUM - Legendary Figure) —     FEDERICA PELLEGRINI

- Category: Paolo Rossi Special Award Modello per i giovani (Youth Role Model)

— FABRIZIO RAVANELLI

- Category: I valori sociali dello sport (Social Values in Sport) — VITO

DELL'AQUILA

- Category: Promozione dello sport (Promotion of Sport) — ALESSANDRA PERILLI

- Category: Un sorriso per la vita (A Smile for Life) — TANIA CAGNOTTO

- Category: I valori educativi dello sport (Educational Values in Sport) —

STEFANIA CONSTANTINI

- Category: Franco Lauro Special Award Narrare le emozioni (Narrating Emotions)

— GIORGIO PORRA

- Category: Fiamme Gialle Special Award Studio e Sport (Study and Sport) —

BEATRICE CORADESCHI

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1855889/Menarini_Ian_Thorpe.jpg

Photo -

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1855890/Menarini_Federica_Pellegrini.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1855891/Menarini_Casey_Stoner.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1855892/Menarini_Tania_Cagnotto.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1855893/Menarini_Massimo_Ambrosini.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1855894/Menarini_XXVI_Edition.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1855895/Menarini_Fair_Play_XXVI_Logo.jpg

Source: Menarini Industrie Farmaceutiche Riunite