Rapallo, 19 May 2025
When the United Nations recognised the importance of Fair Play in Sport
By establishing the 19th May as International Fair Play Day, the United Nations unequivocally recognises the global importance and the profoundly humanistic nature of this attitude in sport (the world's largest organised 'community'), which should be the very essence of civilised relations, contributing to the creation of a fairer and more inclusive society.
Historically, the promotion of Fair Play has been supported by important international institutions such as the International Fair Play Committee (IFCP), Panathlon International (PI) and the European Fair Play Movement (EFPM). However, the UN proclamation adds a strong global signal to consolidate this commitment and give new impulse to the tireless advocates of this mindset. World Fair Play Day, rooted in the work of these organisations, is now officially recognised as a worldwide day of celebration, inviting everyone to reflect and act on the meaning of a fair and respectful behaviour in sport and in everyday life.
A A look both within and beyond borders to capture a current snapshot of what is being done to support people with disabilities, and how sport can help overcome difficulties and restore enthusiasm—even give life a new meaning. This was the spirit of “Disability Without Borders”, the conference held in Pordenone to open the 104th Caregiving Expo, the first edition of a fair entirely dedicated to everything related to disability and those who help and offer new perspectives to people who lack—or have lost—full physical function.
Under the impeccable moderation of Filippo Grassia, Head of Communication for Panathlon International, representatives from Italy, Austria, Slovenia, and Croatia came together to discuss the current status, projects, initiatives, and future outlook for disability support and Paralympic sport.
The event was opened and closed by Panathlon International President Giorgio Chinellato, who emphasized P.I.'s commitment to supporting Paralympic sport—as well as its efforts to prevent potential disabilities. “One of many examples,” he noted, “is the pressure we're putting on automobile federations to develop an educational program in schools, so future drivers and motorcyclists are trained in safe driving, traffic laws, and good practices on the road—to prevent accidents that all too often have serious consequences on health and future life.”
The conference also featured Giada Rossi, gold medalist in table tennis singles at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and the event’s patron; Carlotta Ragazzini, bronze medalist in the same discipline in Paris; and sports commentator Dario Di Gennaro, the voice of Paralympic sport on RAI.
Jessica Acquavita (Vice President, Istria Region, Croatia): “In Croatia, there are public investments in building infrastructure and sports facilities that enable people with disabilities to participate in sports. There is also government support, including funding, to promote sports among children in schools, culminating in interschool championships. These are sports activities, but also lifesaving ones, as they represent an investment in public health, especially for the younger generations.”
Major Sabina Ferraris (Italian Armed Forces, Paralympic Sports Office): “Our sports group has 88 athletes, most of them military personnel who were injured in the line of duty. But thirty of them are civilian Paralympic athletes—top performers—whom we've contracted on three-year agreements. We hope to retain them permanently in the future as civilian staff within the military administration. The message we want to send is clear: we leave no one behind. If you are no longer able to serve your country in arms, you can still serve it through sport.”
Boro Strumbelj (Head of Delegation, Slovenia, Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games): “Our government is preparing a project to include young people with disabilities through Paralympic sport. We must build a chain of trust between the sports world, pediatricians, and parents—raising awareness among parents so they bring their children to try Paralympic sports. We will go to their homes to find them, and pediatricians—who know individual cases—must help us. There is also a project in the works for people over 60. They are often forgotten, but they too need support.”
Giada Rossi (Paralympic Gold Medalist, Paris 2024, Table Tennis): “I used to play volleyball and had just been selected for the U14 regional team when I had the accident that left me disabled. I needed time to adapt to my new condition, but after four years—thanks to my PE teacher Marinella Ambrosio—I returned to the gym and tried table tennis. It felt like being born again. As a child, I dreamed of becoming a professional volleyball player. Today, thanks to my contract with the Armed Forces Sports Group, I’m living that dream in table tennis.”
Michael Ausserwinkler (President, Panathlon Club Klagenfurt, and former Austrian Federal Health Minister): “The ‘Without Borders’ joint bid between Austria, Italy, and Slovenia for the 2006 Winter Olympics was a fascinating experience. That collaboration can live on today through Paralympic projects. In Austria, there is significant attention to disability and Paralympic sport, with funding available at national, regional, and local levels.”
With great enthusiasm we announce the 2nd Webinar Series organised by the Culture, Research and Education Commission of Panathlon International.
Theme: Match-fixing and betting integrity: The challenge of the 21st century
Coordinator Fabio Figueiras (P)
Chronology of the event
8:00pm - Official opening
Opening greetings by Fábio Figueiras, followed by the handover of the floor to Giorgio Chinellato, President of Panathlon International.
8:05pm - Welcome message by Giorgio Chinellato, President of Panathlon International.
8:10pm - PowerPoint presentation by João Paulo Almeida with key concepts, challenges and trends.
8:30pm - Interactive discussion
Participants: Fábio Figueiras, Nuno Perestrelo and João Paulo Almeida. Suggested topics: - How to guarantee betting integrity? - Effective vs. permissive systems - Emerging technologies such as AI - The role of federations and the media - Is the criminalisation of match-fixing sufficient?
8:50pm - Open space for questions from online participants.
9:00pm - Closing and final summary. Summary and final conclusions by Fábio Figueiras
The webinar will be held in Portuguese with automatic translation of subtitles on zoom for all languages.
We invite PI members and all interested parties to participate in this interesting on-line meeting
Access with the QRCode or
Free event ....
The press conference for the “104 - The Caregiving Expo” Fair was held today at the Rugby Pordenone clubhouse. This unique and extraordinary event brings together the entire world of care for disabled and frail people at the Pordenone exhibition centre. In the presence of the mayor of Pordenone and the President of the Chamber of Commerce of Udine and Pordenone, the president of the Pordenone Fair, Renato Pujatti, presented this innovative event, which aims to be a trailblazer in a very important and delicate sector. There will be 170 exhibitors, including the most important companies in the sector, associations dealing with these issues, doctors and nurses, with meetings, seminars and demonstrations aimed at the public, professionals and private individuals who wish to attend. Admission is free upon registration.
Panathlon International was given a place of honour, represented by IB Member Paolo Perin who, together with Marinella d'Ambrosio of ANAOAI, explained how an entire pavilion will be reserved for sport. The patron of the event will be Giada Rossi, the talented Paralympic gold medallist in table tennis in Paris, who will also be the star, together with her national teammates, of an exciting exhibition.
There will be a large international participation from Slovenia, Croatia and Austria.
The inauguration, scheduled for 1.45 p.m. on Thursday 8 May, will be attended by President Giorgio Chinellato together with important representatives of international Panathlon clubs and the world of Paralympic sport. Our communications manager Filippo Grassia will moderate a round table discussion entitled “Sport and disability”, in which representatives from the four countries will talk about the management of Paralympic sport in their respective countries.
In the following days, international teams will compete in tournaments and demonstration matches of baskin, powerchair hockey and sitting volleyball. Thanks to 200 athletes and 25 sports clubs, it will be possible to try out more than 20 different sports under the guidance of coaches and athletes.
On Tuesday 29 April, at 12 noon, the exhibition of the thirty best photographs from the 2025 Photo Contest, promoted by the Panathlon International “Domenico Chiesa” Foundation and the Reggio Emilia Municipal Sports Foundation, was inaugurated at UNIMORE in Reggio Emilia.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by the Councillor for Sport Stefania Bondavalli, the Director of the Sports Foundation Silvia Signorelli, the President of the Panathlon Club Reggio Emilia and Treasurer of the PI D.Chiesa Foundation, Enrico Prandi, and many panathletes from the club.
The exhibition, part of the OFF Circuit of European Photography 2025, is dedicated to the theme “Being twenty: the sport I live” and involved young photographers between the ages of 18 and 35. The initiative was a great success, offering an authentic glimpse into the world of sport as experienced by Generation Z.
The works on display come from six countries — Argentina, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain and Uruguay — and depict all kinds of sports, not just Olympic ones.
On Saturday 3 May, the award ceremony for the winners was held in Piazza del Giost in Reggio Emilia, in the presence of the President of Panathlon International, Giorgio Chinellato, and local authorities.
THE AWARDS
FIRST PRIZE to “Blades and trail running” by Ilaria Cariello (Italy), with the following motivation:
The shot speaks for itself. It is a testament to how people with disabilities can overcome any difficulty and find in sport a dimension of freedom to express their passion to the extreme, even for so-called able-bodied people. The perfect focus highlights the dynamism of the gesture in a race of great concentration, which only passion and constant training can make possible.
“Blades and trail running” by Ilaria Cariello also received the Panathlon Clubs Special Award, presented by representatives of the 260 Panathlon clubs operating in 31 countries.
SECOND PRIZE went to “Riflessi nella storia” (Reflections in History) by Fabio Piacenza with the following motivation:
The sense of tranquillity and freedom conveyed by the figures running lightly along the Tiber embankment at sunset evokes a journey through beauty, combining physical activity and the urban environment in a deeply meaningful way, which becomes art, assisted by skilful photographic technique.
THIRD PRIZE to ‘Defying the concret’ by Nico Bilinkis (Argentina) with the following motivation:
Born as a street sport, skateboarding made its debut at the Olympic Games in Tokyo and Paris as an “additional” sport and will be part of the ‘main’ sports at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. It is a sport much loved by young and very young people. The photograph shows a training session conducted with careful attention to technique in order to perform an aerial trick aimed at learning one of the figures that are part of the performances. The attention to detail defines the commitment and consistency that we recognise in every sport.
Trois MENTIONS d'honneur ont été décernées à : Pietro Borra, Fabio Piacenza, Vittoria Sonego.
In the cover photo: the Councillor for Sport of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, Stefania Bondavalli, cuts the ribbon, in the presence of the Director of the Sports Foundation of the Municipality of R.E. Silvia Signorelli, the President of the Panathlon Club Reggio Emilia Enrico Prandi and panathletes from the club.
We are delighted to announce the 2nd Webinar Series organised by the Culture, Research and Education Commission of Panathlon International.
Topic: Match fixing and betting integrity: The challenge of the 21st century, coordinator Fabio Figueiras (P)
The webinar will be held in Portuguese with automatic translation of subtitles on Zoom for all languages.
We invite PI members and anyone interested to participate in this interesting online meeting
Access with the QR code or
Free event ....
Panathlon International, through the President of the Commission for Culture, Research and Education, Antonio Carlos Bramante, has participated (online) in the Event related to the generation of knowledge, innovation and cooperation called "Collab Summit", which was held in the city of Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday 29 April.
In addition to the "II Symposium on Innovation, Technology and International Cooperation", a round table was held to launch the "I Symposium on University Studies in Sport Sciences" in which Prof. Bramante participated by presenting Panathlon International as an organisation committed to ethics and fair play.
The event was also attended by Professor Wagner Gomes, newly elected President of the Panathlon Club of Rio de Janeiro.
A collaborative work on "Environmental intelligence: environment and sustainability in sport and physical activities / 1961-2025" has been presented at the event and will be launched at the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), to be held in Belém (PA) / Brazil, in November 2025.
The whole Panathlon world joins in the pain and grief for the loss of a great Pope.
A man who, until the end, has dedicated his whole life to the weakest and oppressed with a special thought to children and young people.
In these days we will read many memories of his journeys, which were always focused on the political issues of the world, and his messages pronounced as a true Spiritual Guide to the world.
He was able to mark the history of his and our time.
All Panathletes, with an important presence in South American countries, are honoured and proud to have frequently found in his speeches and in his projects the same principles to which Panathlon International's work and action has always been committed.
All this will be a stimulus and spur for us to continue with the many initiatives in favour of young people, helping their growth not only in sport but also culturally, of the most fragile, without forgetting the commitment to teach respect for the rules, Fair Play, as well as, for example, the battle for the cleanliness and protection of the waters and not just the seas.
And we must not forget the honour we were given with the invitation we received to participate in the Jubilee of Sportsmen in June.
Giorgio Chinellato International President
Panathlon International is pleased to announce the conclusion of the Photo Contest 2025, photographic competition dedicated to the theme "Being twenty: the sport I live". The initiative, addressed to young photographers between 18 and 35 years old, has successfully collected many adhesions, offering an authentic and passionate look on the sport lived by Generation Z.
The competition is an integral part of the OFF Circuit of European Photography XX, a prestigious international festival taking place in Reggio Emilia from 24 April to 8 June 2025. This year's theme, “Being twenty: the sport I live”, explores the hopes, challenges and contradictions of youth through the lens of emerging and established photographers.
Two unmissable events: exhibition and award ceremony
The Photo Contest 2025 includes two separate events:
- Exhibition opening: Monday 29 April at 12 noon, at the UNIMORE University Hall in Viale Antonio Allegri 9, Reggio Emilia. The exhibition, displaying the finalist photographs, will be open until 6 June.
- Award ceremony: Saturday 3 May at 8:30 pm, in Piazza Dal Popol Joust, Reggio Emilia. During the evening the winners of the competition will be announced and awarded prizes.
The event represents a unique opportunity to celebrate the creativity and commitment of young photographers in recounting sport as a life experience and personal growth.
Panathlon International was well represented at the EU Sport Forum in Krakow (10/11 April 2025), a key event for the European Sport organizations.. The forum provides a platform to address the significant changes and challenges facing the European Sport model. Stakeholders, EU institutions, and Member States come together to ensure the sustainability of sports in the EU.
A highlight of the program was the high-level panel discussion focusing on strengthening the European Sport Model through solidarity, values, and competitiveness. The panel featured distinguished speakers including MEP Zdrojewski, EU Commissioner Glenn Micallef, and Laura McAllister, Vice President of UEFA. Their insights were truly inspiring, and it was a great opportunity to engage with them on supporting these ambitious projects.
In the current socio-economic context where authoritarian nationalism leads to degrading situations, the participants and speakers agreed that the promotion of Olympic values by practising Sport together represents a necessary positive and humanistic response.
In his intervention, Ukrainian Sports Minister Matviy Bidnyi referred to special solidarity of European neighbours with top Ukrainian sports. A clear signal that sport unites.
The 2024 European Parliament elections are an opportunity for the new commissioner to sharpen the European Sports Policy. In discussion groups, EU Forum participants highlighted, among other things, the importance of continuing projects like Erasmus+ and simplifying them administratively wherever possible.
Paul Standaert represented Panathlon International and was able to meet the EU Commissioner, EU MPs, the Minisiter for Sport of Ukraine and several delegations from European countries.. Other Panathlon members were also present from their own sports organisations.
For Panathlon International, this remains an important networking moment to discuss possible cooperation. For example, Panathlon EU Brussels will collaborate with ENGSO on the occasion of the European Week of Sport in September 2025.
The next European Sports Forum in the spring of 2026 will take place in Cyprus.
Sophie Kwasny, Head of sport division EUropean Council Ukraine’s Sports Minister, Matviy Bidnyi
EU Commissioner Glenn Micallef