MILAN (ITALPRESS) – Today the meeting ‘Milano Cortina 2026, the Sport that educates, the accessibility beyond the Paralympic Games’, organized by Giusy Versace, already a Paralympic athlete and member of the 7th permanent commission Culture, Education, Scientific Research, Entertainment and Sport. At the event were attended by Attilio Fontana, president of the Lombardy Region, Federica Picchi, undersecretary of the Presidency of Region with delegation to Sport and Youth, Diana Bianchedi, vice president vicario del Coni, Pierangelo Santelli, president of the Cip (Italian Paralimpico Committee) Lombardy, Marco Riva, president Coni Lombardia, Martina Riva, Councillor for Sport, Tourism and Youth Policies for the Municipality of Milan. Also present Martina Caironi, Paralympic athlete already winner of seven medals, and Antonio Rossi, president of Federcanoa. The meeting was moderated by journalist Claudio Arrigoni. One of the points dealt with was the improvement of the accessibility of public facilities for disabled people.
“We have invested so much on Olympics and Paralympics to try to make every form of sport more accessible on snow and ice. We did this by improving the accessibility of plants, trains and lowering architectural barriers, stations and rail transport. We have also tried to improve the plants in general, so that they can be used by everyone”, said the governor of Lombardy Attilio Fontana. On the occasion of the Games were different actions carried out to make the capital more accessible to all. This is what undersecretary Picchi spoke about: “Region Lombardy acts with transversal projects in support of the world of different abilities, applying, for example in access to bands, specific awards dedicated to the para-atletic world. Think of the call for Plants, Dote Sport or the support measures for the sports companies in the area. Our work goes in the direction of enhancing the different skills. We are proud to be a leader in the Lombardy Region of the European Ski-Ability project, which places in the center the accessibility to the practice of skiing for all: from information on how to reach places and structures, to sports practice, to recreational moments and, when necessary, to welcome and accommodation”.
“This model has helped to prepare our territory in view of the Olympic and Paralympic Games of Milan-Cortina 2026 and will represent a lasting legacy, which Lombardy Region intends to extend to all regional ski resorts,” concluded Picchi. The organizer of the event was Giusy Versace, a former Paralympic athlete who has been fighting for years to increase aid to people with difficulty: “The opportunity to host a major event like Milan Cortina is an opportunity for growth on the economic, tourist and cultural level. Behind each athlete there is a family moving, supporters moving with him or her, and so we certainly would have the pointed spotlight and the opportunity also to adapt many structures. Many are the structures involved, many are the funds invested, so much is being done also on the total accessibility of the metropolitan in Milan. We must remember because Paris seemed to be ready and then in the end ready was not, so as Italians we can boast, because many lines have already been adequate and on so many others are still working, but we are ready”.
The senator emphasised the importance of sport as a means of social inclusion: “With all the youthful discomfort, the cases of violence especially among the youngest, never as at this time should be stressed that sport is a precious tool of education, training and also social inclusion. Sports becomes a ransom opportunity and can also be a good preventive tool in the phenomena of bullying and cyberbullying,” said Versace at the edge of the meeting. “The Paralympics – concluded undersecretary Picchi – will also be an opportunity to culturally strengthen the value of all talents, in their diversity, both in agonistic sport and in basic sport, through projects shared with federations and schools”. Paralympic races will take place in Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo and Tesero from 6 to 15 March. It will be six paralympic sports in the calendar: Alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, para ice hockey, snowboard and wheelchair curling. There will be over 660 athletes in the race, representing 50 countries. Appointment then on 6 March with the opening ceremony at the Arena di Verona.
– photo Italpress –
(ITALPRESS).
