The 30th edition of the Fair Play Menarini International Award got under way at CONI’s Salone d’Onore in Rome. Against the backdrop of one of Italian sport’s most storied venues, organisers unveiled the champions set to be honoured on Thursday 2 July at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino:an award reserved for those who, throughout their careers, have brought meaning to competition through fairness, respect and a sense of responsibility.

As ever, the 2026 edition is both global and wonderfully diverse. It brings together athletes who have moved fans across the world and whose influence extends far beyond results alone. Football, swimming, fencing, Paralympic skiing, athletics, basketball, speed skating, volleyball: the roster of honourees reflects the sheer range of a sporting world that speaks in many different languages yet is united by the same values.

Headlining the announcement are Armand Duplantis, the pole vault phenomenon and serial world record holder; Gianfranco Zola, one of football’s most beloved figures at home and abroad; and Gregorio Paltrinieri, a pillar of Italian swimming. Joining them are Achille Polonara, whose grit and resilience have come to define him on the basketball court; race-walking Olympic champion Antonella Palmisano; Olympic foil gold medallist Daniele Garozzo; Paralympic skiing standout Chiara Mazzel; speed skaters Davide Ghiotto, Andrea Giovannini and Michele Malfatti; and Simone Anzani, a cornerstone of Italian volleyball.

The Rome gathering also shine a light on Matteo Pasqualetti, Gloria Tinaburri and Alberto Belluzzi, winners of the Fair Play Menarini “Young Athletes”. Three young athletes whose gestures, different in form but bound by the same moral conviction, served as a reminder that fair play is no abstract ideal, but a real choice made in the moments that matter most, on the field and in life.

CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio drove the point home: «It’s a joy to gather here in CONI’s Salone d’Onore, where the history of Italian sport and its values lives on, to mark the 30th anniversary of the Fair Play Menarini. Thirty years is a real milestone, it is history. We’ve built something lasting, and honoured a great many champions along the way. Today I’m especially proud, because we’re recognising three very young athletes, and that sends a message that goes far beyond medals. We’re celebrating ethics, respect and integrity, values well worth protecting and promoting. These three young people show us how it’s done».

From Rome, the ceremony now heads to Florence. On 15 June, the Special Prize Fiamme Gialle “Study and Sport” will be presented, recognising young talents who successfully combine academic excellence with elite-level sport.

The elegant setting of Piazzale Michelangelo will then play host to the traditional gala dinner, the curtain-raiser to the closing ceremony on 2 July. The final evening will be hosted by Rachele Sangiuliano, Michele Cagiano and Omar Schillaci, with celebrated sports storytellers such as Federico Buffa on hand, and broadcast by Sky TG24.

In this spirit, the 30th Fair Play Menarini International Award is set to celebrate sport at its most genuine: that dimension in which talent and trophies are joined by generosity, and where champions become a model for future generations.

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