On Tuesday 26 November, the gala evening of the ‘beactive awards’ took place in
the presence of Mrs Ahrenkilde Hansen,director General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture European Commission and Mrs Floor Van Houdt , Head of EAC Unit Sport.
Paul Standaert, was present at the gala evening and the debriefing as representative of the International Board and President Chinellato.
Four awards were presented during the gala evening.
Prof Em Thierry Zintz, past member of Panathlon’ s scientific commission was member of the jury that granted an award to:
- Sport Union Austria, Education award
- Metropole de Lyon France, Workplace award
- Fundacj Rozwoju Sportu Poland, Across Generation award
- Allessio Bernabò Italy, Local Hero award
The evening was followed by a interesting keynote address by former Olympic Gold Fencing, Dr Diana Bianchedi, Chief Strategy Planning &Legacy Milano Cortina 2026.
As always, this event was a fine opportunity to connect with sport enthusiasts from EU countries.
The following morning was the debriefing of the 2024 European Week of Sport. This year was the participation record was again broken.
In 24 countries, 15 million persons have participated at one of the 50.000 Events.
Panathlon International is partner of EWOS since 2015. Since 2020 the PI clubs have accelerated their participation, and the Italian Panathlon Clubs are in the lead. More than 20 Italian clubs organized an event in participation of EWOS.
Paul Standaert is grateful to all the clubs and their presidents in joining this European initiative.
The workplan for 2024-2027 was presented with a focus on three domains:
-integrity and values in sport
-social economic and sustainable dimension of sport
-participation in sport and healthy enhancing physical activity
In 2025 EU will celebrate the 10th anniversary of this great initiative.
As this will be a special year for EWOS, Panathlon could develop an one common initiative that unites clubs all over Europe in EWOS 2025.
by Alberto Bortolotti
Val Pusteria and Val Gardena incubators of the Sinner phenomenon. Those 2018 words to the Bolzano RAI: ‘I will be number 1’. He takes his teammates by the hand and leads them to the roof of the planet. Drop shot, a touch of poetry in Jannik's progress. The sense of team growing in females and males. The ‘overshadowed’ feat of the girls in the Billie Jean King Cup .
My personal excursus in Alto Adige, or South Tyrol as the locals perhaps still prefer, began in the 1960s with trips, together with my parents, to the Hippodrome of Maia, Merano where a grand prix was run - a gallop - which was also linked to a State Lottery: and my father Rino used to tell the story for the readers of Stadio. At the time, the Passer Promenade was teeming - it was September - with kiosks for traubenkur, or grape juice as a therapeutic remedy: the stuff of 19th-century courts, Merano was truly a timeless place. Later, when I started working too, at the end of the 1970s, the fashion broke out, pushed by the Tourist Promotion Companies, of inviting journalists on ‘educational tours’; the land on the border with Austria, a few decades after the irredentist bombs of Eva Klotz, had plenty of money to invest in tourism.
I remember the shouting of the Bruneck ice hockey ‘ultras’, ‘Fohr, fohr, Bruneck tor’, the discovery of knodl, kaminwurzen, kaiserschmarren and every other good thing, the old men from the villages who, in stunted Italian, urged their children to master it better, a blood bond ‘more with Bavaria than with Austrians’, a frequenter of the stube in Rasun told me, and even a few downhill runs from the lifts at Sesto in Pusteria.
Here, more or less in this Tyrol, the baby of the Sinner family was born. Who could have been No. 147 in the FISI giant slalom ranking (or a good C in mid-football, Ligabue model) and instead, fortunately, chooses to be No. 1 in the world tennis ranking (and the strongest tennis player in Italian history, already, at the age of 23). He exposes all this with great clarity to his colleague Daniele Magagnin, a journalist from Bolzano, after a (partial) failure (who beats him is such a Peter Heller, German, career high 273 in the world) in the Challenger of Santa Cristina in Val Gardena that would have brought him within the top 900 (!) rackets of the globe. It was 18 August 2018. ‘My dream is to become number 1 in the world and to win as many slams,’ he says with apparent self-assurance after saying that his role model is Andreas Seppi (South Tyrolean like him, Italian Daviscupman, number 18 in the ranking in 2013). Then he wins the ITF in Bergamo, publicly thanking the ball boys (he hasn't changed!).
There is also the problem of having appeared too ‘bold’, so much so that he confided to a friend ‘I am not a “braggart”, but simply a person who sets himself a goal’. And it is, I think, the absolute debut in the use of a term that is as much Bolognese as it is Romagnolo, before the tortellini of the mother of his former physiotherapist, the anzolese Jack Naldi (that broth, for so many reasons, is no longer tasted. And it is also sad, but right).
His calmness, his being a silent, thoughtful, affectionate, grateful ‘captain’ made him as great as the variety of strokes he now put together: late arrivals, a deadly drop-shot (what a beautiful English term in the face of the banal ‘short ball’) and a serve, if not of absolute level, at least remarkable. With the fusion of these talents, it was not impossible to predict the encore of the Davis success, nor even the regrowth of Matteo Berrettini, a doubles player of good calibre, better than Jannik (doubles is not the sum of two singles players, it is worth remembering), but above all the bearer of three points out of three matches: a re-boom also the result of the brotherly attention that Sinner dedicated to him. And patience if the fragile Musetti of the first day in Malaga was not able to redeem himself or the solidity of the Bolelli-Vavassori doubles was not allowed to show itself. The ‘manager’ Volandri did not - almost - miss a beat.
If possible, the girls did a much more titanic feat in the Billie Jean King Cup. There was no number 1, there was no precedent (ok, there was, but far in time and, Errani aside, with other protagonists), there were no ‘Sinner-like’ exploits in the circuit. And yet Bronzetti's promotion to number two of the Italian team, bypassing the more titled Cocciaretto, the great combativeness of Paolini, still number four in the world, the team sense of Sara Errani and the great calmness of the non-playing captain ‘Tax’ Garbin hit the mark. The only pity is that the big TV media did not believe it, but the girls, third in the world ranking, have made that upgrade, which is mainly the result of an untouchable group like cement.
The racket, in the world, speaks Italian. For the sporting world, this is an unspeakable satisfaction. The group sense of the men's and women's teams is superior to that of Cucelli/Del Bello 1 and 2 (immediate post-war period), Pietrangeli/Sirola/Tacchini/Gardini/Merlo (1960s), Panatta/Bertolucci/Barazzutti/Zugarelli (Chile ‘76) and Vinci/Errani/Pennetta/Schiavone (Fed Cup 2013). The new generations will have many faults but, being made up of more normal, less original, not at all crazy, perhaps over-formed people, they have less trouble getting behind the flag. I am optimistic.
Why? I want to tell you a secret: it is not over.
Le plus jeune arbitre de l'histoire de la finale du Championnat d'Europe de football : « La nomination et le prix sont une grande surprise.
Je suis inspiré par mon compatriote Vautrot ».
par Fabio Monti
Giulio Campanati, Milanais né en 1923, reste l'une des personnalités les plus importantes du monde de l'arbitrage, et pas seulement en Italie. Enregistré pour la première fois en 1940, siffleur international depuis 1957, il a dirigé 166 matches en Serie A de 1952 à 1966, date à laquelle il a décidé de mettre fin prématurément à sa carrière pour entamer une longue et prestigieuse carrière d'entraîneur. Membre de la commission des arbitres de la FIFA et de l'UEFA de 1968 à 1992, il a été désignateur de la Serie A de 1968 à 1972 et président de l'Association italienne des arbitres pendant 18 ans, de 1972 à 1990.
Cela ne l'a pas empêché de se faire un nom en tant qu'entrepreneur : son entreprise de mosaïque a permis de refaire le revêtement de la Galleria Vittorio Emanuele au cœur de Milan et la façade de la Rinascente sur la Piazza del Duomo.
Une figure aussi importante ne pouvait pas être oubliée et c'est pourquoi, trois ans après sa mort en 2011, le prix 'Giulio Campanati' est né, destiné au meilleur arbitre de la Coupe d'Europe ou de la Coupe du Monde, distingué pour la qualité de ses directions au cours de ces tournois. Le prix a donc été lancé en 2015 à l'occasion de la Coupe du monde au Brésil, par choix de l'association « Amici di Campanati » et de la section des arbitres de Milan, avec le soutien de la Fédération italienne de football et la direction de son fils Giorgio, et sous l'impulsion d'une autre figure fondamentale du monde de l'arbitrage, Cesare Gussoni.
Au tableau d'honneur figurent les noms de Nicola Rizzoli, choisi en 2014 après avoir arbitré la finale entre l'Allemagne et l'Argentine (qui s'est terminée en prolongation avec la victoire des Allemands 1-0) et en 2016 après l'excellent Championnat d'Europe, avec en point d'orgue la demi-finale France-Allemagne 2-0 ;l'Argentin Nestor Pitana, siffleur de la finale de Moscou entre la France et la Croatie (4-2) ; le Néerlandais Bjorn Kuipers, qui avait dirigé à Wembley le dernier acte de l'Euro 2020, Italie-Angleterre décidé aux tirs au but en faveur des Azzurri; et Daniele Orsato, tout juste rentré d'un grand tournoi au Qatar, qui s'est achevé par la demi-finale entre l'Argentine et la Croatie (3-0).
Dimanche 17 novembre, avant le début d'Italie-France (1-3), dernier match de la Ligue des Nations, au state de San Siro, le prix 2024 a été décerné au Français François Letexier, protagoniste d'un grand Championnat d'Europe en Allemagne, où il a dirigé Croatie-Albanie (2-2),Danemark-Serbie (0-0) et Espagne-Géorgie (4-1, huitièmes de finale), avant de surmonter la concurrence et d'être choisi par le désignateur de l'UEFA Roberto Rosetti pour diriger la finale de Berlin entre l'Espagne et l'Angleterre (2-1 le résultat final, 14 juillet).
La décision de l'UEFA et celle du jury du Prix Campanati, qui en est à sa sixième édition, ont un sens précis, puisque Letexier, Breton de Bédée, né le 23 avril 1989, également star des Jeux Olympiques de Paris, est devenu le plus jeune arbitre à diriger une finale de Championnat d'Europe. S'adresser aux jeunes pour un arbitrage de plus en plus en phase avec son temps et avec les nouvelles indications réglementaires, Var compris, car il est clair qu'on ne dirige plus seul, même si la décision finale revient toujours à l'arbitre sur le terrain : c'est l'indication fournie par la Fédération européenne de football.
Letexier est le deuxième arbitre français à diriger la finale du Championnat d'Europe, après Michel Vautrot, l'arbitre de Hollande-Union soviétique (2-0) le 25 juin 1988 à Munich.
Et ce n'est pas un hasard si ce passage de témoin a eu lieu, car, comme l'a expliqué Letexier lui-même, « Vautrot a toujours été une référence pour nous, et c'est précisément sa façon de diriger et de traiter les joueurs dont j'ai toujours essayé de m'inspirer ».
En présence du Président de la Fédération italienne de football, Gabriele Gravina, c'est Orsato lui-même qui a remis le prix à Letexier, qui n'a pas caché son émotion : « Je suis honoré de recevoir ce prix et je le suis pour trois raisons : parce que c'est le fruit de ce que j'ai fait au Championnat d'Europe, avec mon “équipe” ; pour l'importance du prix ; parce que dans le passé, ce prix a été remis à de grands arbitres. Lorsque j'ai appris l'existence de ce prix, j'ai été surpris, tout comme j'ai été surpris d'être nommé pour la finale de l'Euro 2024.
Et il explique sa relation avec Var : « Pour nous, c'est un outil très utile. D'une manière générale, il n'a pas changé notre façon d'arbitrer, car notre objectif a toujours été de donner le maximum en faisant le minimum d'erreurs. Mais en cas de mauvaise décision, cette décision restait et il m'arrivait de mal dormir en pensant à l'erreur que j'avais commise. Maintenant, tous les arbitres sur le terrain savent qu'il y a une bouée de sauvetage et c'est un grand soulagement. Il ne faut pas s'énerver si on est corrigé par Var, l'important c'est que le résultat final soit au-dessus des erreurs.
L'histoire de Letexier ne s'arrête pas là, en effet, et il n'est pas certain qu'il ne puisse pas être choisi une deuxième fois, à l'occasion de la Coupe du monde 2026.
Also this year the joint venture with CSIT (International Workers' Sports Confederation) continues with the aim of encouraging, coordinating and promoting the development of the sporting ideal and its moral and cultural values in all Countries where CSIT is present by spreading the knowledge and the principles of our Movement. The Panathlon-CSIT Award gives all CSIT Member Unions a chance to nominate candidates, who have distinguished themselves in upholding the ethical and cultural values of sport.
By awarding this prize, the organizers wish to acknowledge, reward and celebrate those who have honoured and advocated such fundamental principles through their example and their actions. The nominations will be examined by the International Board of PI, which will choose who will receive this important award in 2025.
The previous awards were given to the Honorary President of CSIT, Prof. Kalevi Olin, and to Avi Sagi, both awarded during the past CSIT World Games closing ceremonies by PI past-President Pierre Zappelli.
The Panathlon International - CSIT World Sports Games 2025 Prize will be awarded at the World Sports Games 2025 in Loutraki, Greece.
The “SPORT MOVIES & TV 2024” represents the global culmination of film, television and sports culture.
This prestigious event, organised by the FICTS, saw the final of 20 Festivals (on 5 continents) of the International Circuit ‘World FICTS Challenge’, inspired by the powerful slogan ‘FICTS is Culture through Sport - Olympic Emotion’ and took place in Milan from 5 to 9 November (link: linktr.ee/fictsfederation).
The Festival was presented as part of the Milan Cortina 2026 Cultural Olympiad, a multidisciplinary, plural and widespread programme to promote Olympic and Paralympic values through culture, heritage and sport.
During the final day the President of Panathlon International Giorgio Chinellato intervened bringing the greetings of our Movement and underlining the strong collaboration that, for several years, has been born with FICTS and the projects carried out with our Foundation PI-D.Chiesa, with the primary objective to promote actions aimed at the development of ethics in sport.
A good day for sports culture.
It's like when there is fog and our eyes struggle to see our surroundings clearly: and amid this snow-white expanse, we lost Matilde.
A death on the job, what she loved to do, a tragedy that seems absurd to touch a young athlete. Yet, the work of the sportsman has all kinds of fatal cases and probably thousands of protocols would not be enough to avoid them.
She was young and beautiful, and her smile that we knew from the photos overwhelms us along with the incredulity of what happened. We avoid giving importance to the where and how, better to understand the why. We need a response to family, to young people, to sport.
Nothing is worse than a father or mother surviving their daughters and sons. The death of Simoncelli, who fell on a motorcycling track, a sport that, like others, is not immune to danger, comes to mind.
And it is the father who remembers him and makes it a reason for human endurance in the face of a pain that is impossible to somatise. This is certainly also the case for Matilde's family.
If to her we address an emotional thought and a heartfelt prayer, to her relatives we dedicate the most fraternal embrace possible.
Of her we do not care to know her sporting palmares and the prospects that awaited her.
Too strong is the pain that comes with an axiom: you cannot die at 19 years.
Bye Matilde,
An online meeting of the PI President's Committee was held last Oct. 18, to discuss various topics, including the new budgets for the 2025/2026 biennium and a new membership fees proposal, drafted in accordance with what emerged at the General Assembly in Agrigento. The budgets and new fees will be the subject of discussion and deliberation by the International Board to be held on October 30 to illustrate them to the Clubs, District Presidents and Governors. The meeting also considered how to organize the Extraordinary General Assembly to be held next December 14, for the first time held “online”.
It was also discussed the need to schedule a meeting with the IOC to present and develop projects and new synergies with the Olympic Committee. Furthermore, it was confirmed the presence of President Giorgio Chinellato in the Sportaccord IF Forum of Lausanne, an event of great importance in the international sports scene.
Alongside the discussions about the PI Clubs and Areas, the CdP learned favourably of an interesting collaboration with the University of Leuven aimed at promoting the ethical values of sport among young students. The meeting ended positively and with a strong sense of cooperation, optimism and determination for the future of the association.
The SportAccord Forum, held in Lausanne October 21-23, was an opportunity to bring together the members of AIOS Association of International Organisations for Sport of which PI is a member.
Present for Panathlon International were: President, Giorgio Chinellato, Past President Pierre Zappelli, along with President Bruno Molea, Valeria Gherardini and Wolfgang Burghardt (CSIT), Martin Isaksson and Bradley Sandler (FICS - Federation Internationale de chiropratique du sport).
During the meeting there was a discussion about the next possible members of Aios and the role of Aios in SportAccord, following the resolution taken by Gaisf regarding its decision on the possible entry of Aios into SportAccord as an observer.
The entry of grassroots sport and organisations that do not practice élite sport in SportAccord would be an important recognition of the work of those who struggle every day to promote sport as a tool for healthy lifestyle and education.
EFPM - On October 23, 2024, the Conference entitled: "Fair Play Education to overcome Violence, Bullying and Cheating in Sport" of the European Fair Play Movement will be held in Mardin, Turkey.
OCTOBER 21-24, 2024, MARDİN, TURKİYE
OCTOBER 23– CONGRESS -
Date/time Event / activity Place Notes
08:30 – 09:30 Registration of the participants - WELCOME Ramada hotel
CONGRESS MORNING SESSION Ramada hotel
09:30 – 10:00 CONGRESS OPENING SPEECHES
• Mr. Mehmet Samsa,
• Mr. İbrahim Özcoşar, Rector of Mardin Artuklu University
• Mr. Erdoğan Arıpınar, Chairman of the TFPC
• Mr. PHILIPPE HOUSIAUX, President of EFPM
• Mr.Tuncay Akkoyun, Governor of Mardin
10:00 – 10:05 Framing the congress
Thierry Zintz, Chair of the Congress
10:05 – 11:05 I. - Thematic session 1 - 60 minutes (face-to-face and online) - Fair Play Education to overcome Violence, Bullying and Cheating in Sport
Gülşah Akkaya– 30 minutes
Fatih Kuşçu (10 minutes)
In presence and online Q&A (questions to be introduced in the congress chat) – 10 minutes
11:05 – 11:30 Coffee break
11:30 – 12:00 Book Coubertin
12:00 – 13:00 Lunch
13:00 – 14:00 II. Thematic session 2 - 60 minutes (face-to-face and online) - Universality of the Peace through Sport approach: the significance of sport diplomacy
second academic speaker (potentially Thierry Zintz, as agreed with Philippe Housiaux) oral presentation – 30 minutes
Esra Gümüş Kırıcı (10 minutes)
In presence and online Q&A (questions to be introduced in the congress chat) – 10 minutes
14:00 – 15:00
III. Round table (face-to-face and online) - 40 minutes
Bring together academic speakers and experts to discuss specific topics.
Participants can ask questions live or via the online platform.
15:00 – 15:20 IV. Closing session (in person and online) – 20 minutes
Summary of conference highlights.
Thanks to speakers and participants.
Announcement of next steps.
SportAccord will welcome both established and new partners to this year’s IF Forum, taking place from 21-23 October 2024 under the theme “Ensuring Your IF is Match Fit and Future Ready.”
The International President Giorgio Chinellato and Past President Pierre Zappelli will be present on behalf of Panathlon International.