Malagò greets the FIP assembly: “What i’m seeing with padel I’ve never seen in other sports”

Italian IOC president, Giovanni Malagò, spoke during the first stages of the FIP General Assembly, in Rome, after the introduction by FIP president Luigi Carraro and the greeting to the delegates of the countries present in the Coni Hall of Honour, the place symbol of the most important activities of the National Olympic Committee and the world sports scenario. “It is a great pleasure to be here, in this iconic hall full of sporting symbols – said Malagò -, in which all sports are equally represented, through a history of great prestige that tells how Italy is a great sports country, with a great tradition”.

Then Malagò addressed to the national federations: “Today the FIP General Assembly is being held and I’m here to bring you a direct testimony: for 20 years I was president of a very famous club in Rome, the Circolo Canottieri Aniene, and we were the padel pioneers in Italy. And not only that: all the most important players have played there”, underlined the Coni number one, referring to Aniene’s successes in both Italian championships, male and female.

Malagò then addressed President Carraro directly: “We must recognise the incredible work of your president Luigi Carraro, who has put emotion and enthusiasm into promoting padel. What it’s happening with padel has never happened in other sports: I was in Krakow for the European Games, in which Italy played very well, and I spoke with the other presidents of the Olympic Committees. We talked about padel, and we saw with our own eyes how padel is growing. Thanks to all of you, I see a great atmosphere here”. Malagò ended with a line dedicated to the Coni secretary general Carlo Mornati, which underlined how padel is in the daily agenda of italians: “I must say that we don’t have any problems with padel, except for one: when I look for Carlo and I cannot find him, they tell me that he is playing padel. That’s the only downside of your sport: it often takes my main collaborator away from me”, concluded the CONI number one, making everyone laugh.