Panathlon International

On 16 July, the YOULEAD project partners met online to follow up on the roundtable held in Podgorica and to continue the development of the project's upcoming training pathways.

Podgorica hosted the project's second Transnational Project Meeting, where partners discussed the results of the research phase carried out under Work Package 2. The roundtable also marked an important first step towards the design of the training and education programme, which forms the core of Work Package 3.

The meeting provided an opportunity to revisit the key insights that emerged from discussions with athletes, sports managers, federation representatives and experts in sports governance.

At the heart of the discussion was the need to equip young people with practical tools to participate actively and meaningfully in the life of sports organisations and in decision-making processes.

Particular attention was given to leadership, communication, integrity, inclusion and mentoring—key elements in fostering more open and participatory sports governance. Participants also highlighted the crucial role of sports leaders in creating safe, inclusive environments that genuinely value and empower the contribution of younger generations.

The meeting reaffirmed the importance of developing training pathways for both young people and board members, with the aim of strengthening intergenerational dialogue and encouraging active participation. 

Over the coming months, the partners will continue working together to define the content and structure of the training pathways.

Through these next steps, YOULEAD continues its commitment to promoting a more inclusive, participatory and future-oriented approach to sports governance.

The International President of Panathlon International, Giorgio Chinellato, has arrived in the Dominican Republic, where he was welcomed with great enthusiasm by the President of the new Panathlon Club Santo Domingo, Domingo Solano.

The visit represents an important opportunity to meet members, strengthen ties with the local Panathlon community and meet Panathletes from other countries. President Chinellato has also been invited  to attend the Opening Ceremony and the events linked to the Central American and Caribbean Games, one of the continent’s most prestigious sporting events.

Recognised by the International Olympic Committee as the oldest regional multi-sport event, the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo will bring together over 6,000 athletes from 37 countries. This event of great international significance will offer Panathlon International a key opportunity to strengthen its presence in the Caribbean region and promote the values of fair play, ethics and respect through sport.

The highlight of the mission will be on 25 July, when, thanks to an initiative by President Solano, the International President will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Centro Caribe Sports to ensure the Club’s presence at the Central American and Caribbean Games and to actively promote the culture of sport and Fair Play. 

 Following discussions initiated in September 2025, Panathlon International has helped to bring the phenomenon of hikikomori to the attention of the European institutions, with reference to the prevention of distress and social isolation amongst young people.

On Wednesday 9 September, from 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm, a round-table discussion entitled **“Hikikomori: European perspectives on measures to prevent the phenomenon and Italian best practices”** will be held at the European Parliament in Brussels, organised on the initiative of MEP Mariateresa Vivaldini.

Speakers at the event will include, amongst others, the President of Panathlon International, Giorgio Chinellato, and International Board Member Fabiano Gino Maria Gerevini, who heads the international working group on Hikikomori syndrome.

Panathlon International is proud to have contributed to the achievement of this important milestone, which is the result of its dedicated efforts to foster dialogue and raise awareness amongst institutions on an issue of growing social significance.

live stream on the PI’s YouTube channel

The International Board met online last Thursday, 9 July, to review ongoing activities and coordinate Panathlon International’s upcoming commitments. The International Board Members reported on the work carried out within their respective areas of responsibility, ranging from expansion activities to relations with Clubs and Districts, whilst the General Secretariat updated the Board on international projects and the organisation of forthcoming events.

The focus of the meeting was the follow-up to the General Assembly in Ghent: following the approval of the amendments to the Articles of Association, work has begun on updating the regulations and implementing the decisions adopted.

The Board then reviewed the progress of the Erasmus+ projects. In June, the international MindFit meetings in Izmir and the YouLead meetings in Podgorica took place, involving representatives from Panathlon International and its partners. New collaborations with universities were also assessed, the Ethos project, as well as partnerships with sports institutions and associations, alongside initiatives to expand the Movement into new countries. The Alpe Adria project, which is undergoing continuous development, was particularly well received. Furthermore, in order to help promote Panathlon’s values in Central and Eastern Europe, the President of the newly formed Club in Croatia, Milan Čupić, joined the Expansion and Development working group.

A significant part of the meeting was then devoted to the celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of Panathlon International and the Flambeau d’Or ceremony, scheduled to take place in Venice. The main organisational details were finalised and the award recipients identified, in preparation for an event honouring individuals who, through their own journeys, have embodied the ethical and cultural values of sport.

The Board concluded by taking note of the important developments in the project dedicated to the Hikikomori, which will see Panathlon International take centre stage on 9 September at the European Parliament, as part of a meeting aimed at exploring this sensitive issue in greater depth, confirming the Association’s growing commitment to issues of significant social impact.

IPACS has published the Fact Sheet on Artificial Intelligence and Corruption in Sport, the first major output of the new Working Group dedicated to AI.

The publication has been added to the IPACS Tool Library and marks the launch of a new section dedicated to artificial intelligence, which will also host future resources on the topic.

The new Fact Sheet on artificial intelligence reaffirms IPACS’s role as an international benchmark for the development of tools to support integrity in sport. This is a path that Panathlon International follows and supports wholeheartedly, by participating in its initiatives and promoting a culture of good governance, transparency, and sporting ethics.

In the coming months, the publication will also be available in French and Spanish. The topic of artificial intelligence will also be explored in greater depth during the 9th IPACS Annual General Conference, scheduled for 2 October 2026

press release

IPACS Fact Sheet on AI and Corruption in Sport.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board (EB) has provisionally lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) that had been in effect since 12 October 2023. The decision was taken following a thorough analysis by the IOC’s Legal Affairs Commission, considering that the ROC no longer includes as its members any regional sports organisations in territories falling under the jurisdiction of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ukraine. In addition, the ROC confirmed that it does not, and will not, conduct any activities in these territories. The IOC EB will continue to closely monitor the situation relating to any ROC activities in those territories, and reserves the right to take any further measures if deemed necessary.

With the qualification period for both the LA28 Olympic Games and the Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 Winter Youth Olympic Games having started, and the need to offer equal access to these competitions to all athletes, the IOC EB decided that its recommended conditions of participation for International Federations (IFs) and international sports event organisers of 28 February 2022 and 28 March 2023 as they relate to Russian athletes and teams, including the protective measures, are no longer applicable.

In accordance with the Olympic Charter, and as applicable to all NOCs in general when selecting the athletes participating in the Olympic Games, the ROC must ensure that Russian athletes’ “selection [for the Olympic Games] shall be based not only on their sports performance, but also on their ability to serve as role models who respect, uphold and promote a peaceful society through sport as set forth in the Olympic Charter.” (Bye-law 2.1 to Rules 27 and 28). 

Press release IOC

O panatleta Ednei Santos, vice-presidente do Panathlon International Club da Grande São Paulo/Mauá, partiu junto com um contingente do Corpo de Bombeiros para uma missão humanitária internacional com o objetivo de prestar socorro às vítimas na Venezuela.

A missão representa o compromisso com a proteção da vida, a solidariedade e o serviço ao próximo, reunindo profissionais altamente qualificados para atuar em operações de busca, resgate e assistência às comunidades afetadas.

O Panathlon Internacional tem a honra de poder contar com um de seus membros nesta importante missão e expressa seu reconhecimento ao panatleta Ednei Santos pela dedicação, coragem e espírito de serviço, valores que refletem os mais elevados princípios do Panathlon e da cidadania. Desejamos uma missão segura e pleno sucesso na assistência às vítimas.

To mark the upcoming CSIT World Sports Games 2027, to be held in Aalborg, Denmark, Panathlon International and CSIT are renewing their long-standing partnership through the presentation of the Panathlon International – CSIT World Sports Games 2027 Award.

The award, made possible by the long-standing and fruitful cooperation between the two organisations and the decision of International President Giorgio Chinellato, aims to recognise individuals who have distinguished themselves in promoting and upholding the ethical, moral and cultural values of sport.

Previous winners include the Honorary President of CSIT, Prof. Kalevi Olin, and Avi Sagi of HAPOEL, who were presented with the award at previous closing ceremonies by the Past President of Panathlon International, Pierre Zappelli, and Elisabeth Speiser, President and promoter of the global “Catch’n Serve Ball” movement, who was honoured last year by President Giorgio Chinellato.

For the 2027 edition too, all CSIT member unions will be invited to submit nominations for particularly deserving individuals.

From among the nominations received, the International Board of Panathlon International will select the individual who, through their example and commitment, has made a significant contribution to promoting the founding values of sport. 

The Award will be presented during the 2027 CSIT World Sports Games, reaffirming its status as an important occasion to pay tribute to those who, through their work, help to foster a sporting culture inspired by ethics, responsibility, solidarity and respect.

CSIT World Sports Games 2027

Pierre Zappelli, Past President of Panathlon International, spoke as the keynote speaker at the Graduation Ceremony for the LL.M. programme in International Business Law at the University of Lausanne, which took place on 26 June on the university campus.

The invitation represented a significant recognition of the role played by Panathlon International in promoting ethics, fair play and integrity in sport. During his speech, Zappelli shared with the students his experience of leadership within the Panathlon Movement, emphasising the importance of training legal professionals capable of tackling the challenges of global sport with competence, responsibility and a focus on values.

The initiative forms part of the activities of Panathlon International’s Lausanne Representative Office, through which Pierre Zappelli, in collaboration with Melody Exhenry, develops and strengthens relations with international academic and sporting institutions in the region, promoting the dissemination of Panathletic values.

The ceremony was attended by students from numerous countries and also featured short presentations on the main issues surrounding the regulation of international sport.

video

25 junho - Realizou-se no auditório do Comité Olímpico de Portugal a sessão do Panathlon Clube de Lisboa e que contou como convidados do painel de debate Alexandre Mestre, José Manuel Araújo, Manuel Brito e Susana Feitor, e que foi moderado pela jornalista do Observador, Mariana Fernandes.

Depois de mensagem de boas vindas e de  justificação do tema da sessão, pelo Presidente do Clube, Mário Almeida,  seguiu-se uma intervenção de Manuel Brito de contribuição para a reflexão sobre a dimensão educativa, ética e formativa do Desporto e sobre a responsabilidade que todos temos na transmissão dos seus valores.

Os elementos constituintes da mesa, pelo seu trajeto e funções no Desporto, estabeleceram uma conversa viva e cheia de conteúdo e franco debate sobre os desafios que a atualidade coloca à defesa dos valores fundadores do Desporto e que, na sua íntegra, pode ser assistida na gravação da transmissão em direto no link: https://youtu.be/1M2yOLA6vzQ