Italian sport takes centre stage in Dubai. Tomorrow, the Expo’s Italy Pavilion will dedicate the entire day to the world of sport, one of Italy’s greatest assets, as confirmed by a spectacular summer that has brought so much joy to Azzurri fans. The Italian Sports Day will give a 360° insight into this entire sector, from competitive and economic perspectives to a logistical one.

The day will begin with the ‘Beauty of Sport’ panel which, after an opening speech from Commissioner General of Italy, Paolo Glisenti, will be hosted by the President of CONI, Giovanni Malagò; the Undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers for sport, Valentina Vezzali; and the President of the Italian Paralympic Committee, Luca Pancalli.

After their first event in October, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic medallists will return to the Expo to take part in the 'Women and Sport' and 'Italian Sport Stars' talks.

The CEO of Milano Cortina 2026, Vincenzo Novari, will be speaking on the panel entitled 'Next, the great sporting events'. Alessandro Antonello, the CEO of Inter Milan, will present 'I M FC Internazionale Milano - Made in Italy: from the football pitch to the world'.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, will open the session dedicated to '100 years of Monza and the Made in Italy GP: Italy, the double world excellence of Motorsport', including speeches by ACI President Angelo Sticchi Damiani and Formula One Group CEO Stefano Domenicali.

Two-wheelers will have their turn in the spotlight with 'Giro d'Italia - The world's toughest race in the world's most beautiful country’, with Michele Napoli, CEO of Rcs Sports & Events DMCC, who will discuss the evolution of the race from sporting event to communication platform and the development of the Giro d'Italia Criterium - Dubai.

There will be a large number of athletes present, starting with Tokyo 2020 gold medallists Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti (Sailing - Nacra 17); Antonella Palmisano (Athletics - 20 km racewalking); and Luigi Busà (Karate - Kumite), and closely followed by team sabre fencing silver medallists, Luca Curatoli and Enrico Berrè; and the bronze medallist Butterflies in rhythmic gymnastics, Martina Centofanti, Agnese Duranti, Alessia Maurelli, Daniela Mogurean and Martina Santandrea, accompanied by the national team technical director and CONI Council member, Emanuela Maccarani.

Representing the world of Paralympics will be Tokyo gold medallist in swimming, Simone Barlaam; Vincenza Petrilli, a silver medal winner in archery; and Veronica Yoko Plebani, who won bronze in the paratriathlon.
The day will be rounded off with a screening of Volfango De Biasi's film, 'Crazy for football' and with 'For fun, for sport', a multidisciplinary activity based on the experience of CONI Centres and scheduled to take place in the Expo Sports, Fitness and Wellbeing Hub.