Abodi and the Games: “A chapter of a book on which we will write other pages has closed”

The Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi, can only be fully satisfied. The Olympics were a success and he enjoyed it up close, trying not to miss the most important events for the Azzurri, the ones that made the history of sport. In a long post on it will also accompany us towards new challenges and new goals for which we are once again ready! We will carry in our hearts and in our eyes the priceless heritage of our male and female athletes, not only for their sporting exploits, but also for the splendid people who have demonstrated to the whole world that they participated, competed, won and lost, deserving a medal or not succeeding in the undertaking, in any case with honour”.

the hope of a truce

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A thought for the present with an eye to the future therefore. Also because the figures for these Games are crazy: “They were days of positive numbers: that of the Italian medal table, of millions of spectators and tourists, of billions of television viewers and social interactions, of impact assessments of billions of euros, but they were also and above all 17 days of emotions, tears, smiles, hugs, of humanity and sociability, of competitions and respect. A profound and emotional thank you to those who took to the field and to those who prepared it, to all the men and the women of the Milano Cortina Foundation and the Milano Cortina Infrastructure Company, to the police forces and the military, always present and reassuring who guaranteed the safety of the Games, to the structures and bodies who guaranteed healthcare everywhere, to the media who described Italy through its infinite wonderful excellences and beauties, to the institutions of the territories of these 22,000 square km which have become a single entity. Thanks also to the companies that worked on the construction sites and to those who became partners and sponsors of Milan Cortina. A special applause to the precious and indispensable community of 18,000 volunteers for their smiles and kindness, patience and vitality, the true beating heart of every Olympics. The thing that heartens me is that it doesn’t end here: on March 6th we will meet again at the Arena of Verona and that flame will resume transmitting its Values to the world for the Paralympics, still being able to enjoy its meanings to inspire our daily actions. I hope that the strength of that fire will be able to guide the few who decide the fate of the world, to respect the Olympic truce and transform it into a perspective of peace and respect, when the time comes for the Paralympic Games, it will be exciting to be part of it, to support all these wonderful athletes, starting from our fantastic Azzurri!!