«StI was born blind but since I was a kid I followed my friends’ tennis matches as a spectator. I have always had a passion for all sports and especially for water skiing: in this specialty I have won 25 world titles and I am currently the European champion». Daniele Cassioli, 36, thus begins the interview on the occasion of the World Day of Persons with Disabilities. Sunday 4 at 10.25 it will be broadcast on Rai Tre, during Or even not – Nobody is normal up close by Paola Severini Modigliani (program where she writes a column on disability), her chronicle of the Medvedev-Rublev meeting that took place during the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. Daniele was hosted by the Intesa Sanpaolo lounge.
Daniele Cassioli, 36 years old. He has won 25 world and 25 European titles in water skiing.
Help us understand. How can a blind person comment on a tennis match?
I hear the sound of the balls, I can recognize the rallies, or an ace. I have a different perception, which helps me understand the energy of a match. I’ve never played tennis but as a kid I watched my friends’ matches as a spectator. In 1998, when Italy went to the final against Sweden for the Davis Cup, I went to watch the match at the Assago Forum. At the ticket office they asked me: “But what is he doing if he is blind?” But I have to say that those were different times. Today, thanks also to the affirmations of our athletes in Paralympic sports, there is another way of seeing disability.
Patrizia Ordasso, Head of Welfare at Intesa Sanpaolo, underlined that the invitation to her “is part of the Group’s attention to the theme of inclusion. Since 2018, a team of 70 disability managers has been supporting people and implementing initiatives”. She added that she, Cassioli, “transmits energy, intelligence and a way of facing life that should belong to everyone”. What do you think?
Intesa Sanpaolo has a very strong diversity & inclusion policy, I have to thank them for opening the doors to the lounge for me. I have a good story, but many blind kids can’t even do physical education. There is still much work to do.
Daniele Cassioli, 36 years old. Blind since birth, he started playing sports at the age of three.
Tell us about her. We know that since 2021 you have been a member of the Cip, the Italian Paralympic Committee. Also tell us something about your commitment to others.
I’ve been a physiotherapist for 10 years, and it wasn’t easy to get started. Meanwhile I competed in water skiing, my passion. But after the first book, The wind against, published by De Agostini, I understood that with my experience I could help others. So I founded Real Eyes Sport, which helps bring blind people closer to sport. Sport is essential to include, it helps manage defeats and victories, it makes you stay with your teammates, it creates positive dynamics, it helps you feel better about yourself and others. With the association we are present in 12 cities, where we connect with local realities. We organize activities, summer and winter camps, we go to hospitals. We think that disabled children should play sports like all their peers. And then there’s my job.
Are you no longer a physiotherapist?
No. I train in companies, I try to transform my experience into a positive opportunity for others, I help achieve inclusion through practical programmes. I’m currently dealing with the sense of belonging, which has gotten a bit lost due to the pandemic and smart working. There is a change taking place in the world of work, and we need to reposition ourselves in this process. There are some aspects of one’s life that can be changed and others not. And it’s useless to waste energy on things you can’t control, it’s better to focus on constructive actions, on developing the sport skills that are in great demand today. In my second book, Teach the heart to seealways De Agostini, focus on emotional intelligence, on how to manage anger and frustration.
It does so many things, congratulations. How does he do it?
I was very lucky. Thanks to my parents, I had so many stimuli. I would add that sport is essential for growth, because it helps to manage difficulties. Learning to somersault is only the first step.
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