ROMA (ITALPRESS) – The President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, went this morning to the Olympic Village of Milan, welcomed by the governor of Lombardy Attilio Fontana, the mayor of Milan Giuseppe Sala, Luciano Buonfiglio and Carlo Mornati, respectively president and secretary general of the Coni, and by Giovanni Malagò and Andrea Varnier, president and to the Fondazione Milano Cortina. Mattarella, after taking his signature on the “Murale della tregua”, greeted the athletes and technicians of the Italian delegation. From Quirinale they say that “then, you will have breakfast with the athletes and athletes of the Italian team at the Mensa of the Olympic Village”.
“We have, you are about to begin. Of course, on the eve of the opening, I cannot but remember that for all of you and all of you, who are here, this is already a great success. Being selected, being on the team, taking part in the Olympics is already an extremely important milestone; an authentic, important success.” These are the words that the president of the Republic addressed to the blue athletes on the occasion of the visit to the Olympic Village of Milan. “I also assume that you are not satisfied and satisfied with this and that you will face the competitions with the intention of having other results, other successes – he continued – But it must never forget that participation is the first important milestone and result. Then, of course, the competition with athletes and athletes from all over the world will be exciting, it will also be exciting. I believe that each of you, each of you, remembers that the first competition is with itself and with yourself, with its own limits, to overcome, to improve. And then there is the one with the other participants.”.
“Whatever it is, we hope that many medals are, of course – President Bonfiglio if he wishes it strongly, but all in Italy we hope – but what is important is the way you will participate, as has always happened from our athletes, of our athletes in the Olympics – Mattarella has remembered again – with commitment, giving everything itself and all of themselves with loyalty, with respect for others. Competition that gives the world a spectacle of extraordinary value, of cohabitation, of friendship, of humanity, of seriousness. Here, I’ll give you this wish: you are aware of how much you are going to do, you are and wish you to get better results. And the first result is, in fact, to participate with all others, with the value of sport, that sends to the world a message of peace and serenity”. “Thank you for your commitment. Thank you in advance because you certainly honor the tricolor, our flag, our colors”, concluded the President of the Republic.
“I am slightly out of age for Olimpiade and actually as a young man I would not have been selected… Thank you for the gift, I will preserve it with affection and I will wear it because it is not only significant but also precious, it will accompany you in these Games and this also gives it a great value”. So the president of the Republic after receiving from the athletes the official vest of Italy Team with so much name.
– photo Quirinale –
(ITALPRESS).
