In Campidoglio this afternoon, CONI (Italian National Olympic Committee) President Giovanni Malagò, together with the Secretary General Roberto Fabbricini, accompanied a delegation of roman athletes who qualified for the Olympic Games. The Azzurri team had been invited by the Mayor of Rome, Virginia Raggi and the Deputy Mayor, with the Minister for Sports, Daniele Frongia, who hosted the representatives departing for Rio, at the Municipality. Frongia, who together with the Mayor are involved in other Institutional Fronts, pointed out that: "As a former athlete, I recall these initiatives within the institutions as somewhat boring. But we want to emphasize that Campidoglio represents the community at large. And the whole of Rome is with you, proud of you. Thank you and good luck." The ceremony was attended by the following athletes: Claudia Cesarini, Riccardo De Luca and Pierpaolo Petroni (Modern Pentathlon), Marco De Luca, Sonia Malavisi and Maria Benedicta Chigbolu (Athletics), Alice Sinno and Elena Berta (Sailing), Odette Giuffrida (Judo) and Daniele Lupo (Beach Volleyball). Present in the room there was also, the team leader of the M5S in Campidoglio, Paolo Ferrara and the Chairman of the Capitolina Sports Committee, Angelo Diario.
President's Malagò’s message was one of pride: "I would like to thank Deputy Mayor, Frongia and the Advisors Diario and Ferrara, because we speak the same language. All three have wanted to highlight their past as sportsmen and I also have that in my genes. There is this commonality and this trip, we should not divulge anything. This initiative came about because of the Mayor’s consent; we were expecting something of this nature to occur because in other cities and regions of Italy, here and there, these initiatives are deeply felt. I am the National President but of Roman origin and I am very happy about this initiative. I congratulate you and I will be just as happy, if we are invited to return here because I know how much you have done. Look at these ambassadors of our city: they are fantastic, honest, successful and they represent the positive aspects of the city."
