Federico Berrugi, from Livorno, suffered an injury that left him disabled almost three years ago. He became captain of Libertas Livorno 1947 Wheelchair basketball and now torchbearer of Milano-Cortina 2026
Stop in Livorno for the Olympic Flame of Milan Cortina 2026, which embraced and greeted among its torchbearers Federico Berrugi, selected by Coca-Cola as part of the campaign “Enter history. Bring the magic of the Olympic Flame”, a virtuous example of those whose mission today is to spread the Olympic values.
the story
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Federico became manager and captain of Wheelchair Libertas Livorno 1947, a unique organization in Italy that brings together in a single club the men’s and women’s Serie A2, wheelchair basketball, basketball and an academy dedicated to the youngest. Federico’s life changed in 2023: a serious injury on the pitch – the total rupture of the Achilles tendon – started an ordeal for him made up of operations, complications, infections, transplants and long months of therapies, until the definitive diagnosis of loss of sensation and functionality of the left leg from the knee down. After 25 years of standing basketball, Federico then began playing wheelchair basketball and over time he made it his mission to grow Paralympic sport in the area. “Being a Coca-Cola torchbearer in my home town of Livorno is a dream come true. Bringing the Flame to the city where I live every day, my commitment as a Paralympic athlete is an immense honor for me. This moment repays the effort, resilience and passion I put into sport and society. Running with the Flame is more than a symbol: it is a new beginning, a message of strength and inclusion that I want to share with the whole community”, Federico’s comment after the experience of torchbearer.