Giovannini: “Fair play is what gives true value to a champion”

Visibly emotional, Giovannini underlined the significance of the ceremony: “It is certainly very emotional for me to be here today among so many sporting champions, it is an honor to be awarded the prestigious Menarini International Fair Play Award”.

The skater then recalled what he considers the most significant episode of fair play of his career, dating back to the beginning of his competitive journey. “Before a mass start, one of my opponents had broken a shoelace shortly before the start. He was in difficulty because he couldn’t find a spare lace. I remember that I lent him my lace and so he managed to compete in that race.” A simple but significant gesture which, according to Giovannini, represents the essence of sport: “The true value of an athlete is also defined by how he behaves on the pitch, not only by the results he manages to obtain”.

During the meeting with journalists, the Italian champion also expressed a favorable opinion on the International Olympic Committee’s decision to introduce a financial contribution of 10,000 dollars for athletes qualified for the Olympic Games. “In my opinion it is a very useful initiative for ‘minor’ sports like mine, speed skating, which do not have a lot of visibility and, consequently, not even great economic income”, he explained. “There are many athletes who find it more difficult to sustain the costs of competitive activity and a measure like this could be very useful in the future.”

Giovannini’s words confirm how sporting success can go “hand in hand with the values ​​of fairness, solidarity and respect for opponents, principles that the Menarini Fair Play Award continues to promote and enhance through the testimonies of the great protagonists of sport”.