Olympics, Errigo and Paltrinieri favored as flag bearers for Italy: one hundred days until the opening ceremony

One hundred days today at the Olympicsinauguration on July 26th Paris, and Giunta Coni at the Acqua Acetosa Olympic training center. The prospects for theItalia Team they are excellent (see Spy Calcio of 16 April). Giovanni Malagò explained: “We have provided the Board with some data on the projections of the medals which for us leave the time they find, but every day we have comforting news, which improves athletes and qualified athletes”. He then concluded by commenting on the anticipation at the start of the Games which “is growing, perhaps also due to events such as the war. Today we talk more and more about the Olympics. We speak every day with the presidents, with the Olympic preparation and we are very satisfied. We presented the 2023 balance sheet in substantial balance, with a small profit and an exceptional resource production activity with significant marketing capabilities Carlo Mornati wanted to underline the fact that we are clearly penalized by a series of taxes and burdens which are truly absurd for a sports body”.

‘We receive 45 million in public contributions, but 10 go towards expenses, such as Imu and Tari: so we struggle”, added Mornati. ”It has been made known and the government shows clear attention and sensitivity towards this issue because it is a fact. For 2024 we have a forecast budget with a loss of 6-7 million because it is a particular year, there are also the Olympic prizes (180 thousand euros for gold, ndr): this is not right”.

Meanwhile, next Monday, at Palazzo H, the Council and National Council of the CONI: the two standard-bearers, man and woman (as suggested by the IOC), for the inaugural ceremony, 26 July along the Seine, if possible, to be decided. I’m in position Gregorio Paltrinieriswimming champion, and Arianna Rigo, queen of fencing and mother of Mirea and Stefano. But many others aspire to this honor (Jacobs, Tamberi, Palmisano, Dell’Aquila): in May ceremony at the Quirinale with Mattarella, always very attentive and close to the world of sport. In Tokyo there were Jessica Rossiclay pigeon shooting, ed Elia Viviani, cycling with the tricolor. Alternation is right, but the calendar and commitments of the athletes must also be taken into account in the choice. And then fencing is the sport that has brought the most Olympic medals (130) in all of history.

The closing ceremony will instead be the turn of Caterina Banti, gold in Tokyo 2020-21 with Tita in sailing. “Caterina is almost safe for Paris” said Malagò of the young sailor. Man cannot be Jannik Sinner because he has never won an Olympic gold and because he would possibly go to the singles final on August 5th and the ceremony is scheduled for the 11th. Sinner is very keen on winning Roland Garros and the Olympics. He could be the ideal standard-bearer in Los Angeles for a sport that has so far (almost) always snubbed the Games. In these days.

Malagò feels Olympic air: his mandate, according to the law, expires in May 2025, but he has well-founded hopes of being able to remain in Palazzo H: for a year with an extension so as to be able to manage the Milan-Cortina 2026 Games again as president of the CONI (“it would be a compromise”, he says) or to be able to run for another four-year Olympic term (and he would have no rivals) remaining in the saddle until Los Angeles 2028. Everything will be decided after the European elections in June: on the politician Malagò has friends and enemies in this government. But he hopes that friends will prevail. “I find it incredible and curious – said the Coni no. 1 – that out of 60 million people who have anything to do with sport I am the only one subject to the limits of the mandates (ndr, maximum three). However, someone is thinking about a rule that is at least unusual.”

Seventy State Department agents defending the US delegation

The CEO of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), Sarah Hirshland, said he expects Paris 2024 officials to have contingency plans in place. “I think every leader has a plan A, B and C, at least in his mind.” Nicole Deal, chief of safety for the USOPC, said athlete safety is the “number one priority” for officials. The US delegation will be escorted by 70 State Department agents during the Olympics. On the delicate and unclear issue of the presence of armed agents in the Olympic Village, he assured that “there will be no firearms, this is the norm”. But these are special times. The Israeli delegation will also have a large escort, this one certainly armed. Authorizations from the French authorities are required.