Press Conference in Milan 27 November 2019
Winter Deaflympics: the 19th edition in Valtellina e Valchiavenna is coming! The regional institutions of Lombardia greeted the protagonists of Winter Deaflympics during a press conference in Milan: the councilor for sport and youth, Martina Cambiaghi, Massimo Sertori, councilor for local authorities, mountain and small municipalities, Antonio Rossi, undersecretary with delegation to major sporting events and all the representatives of the local municipalitie involved in the event: Elio Moretti, President of the Province of Sondrio, Marco Scaramellini, Mayor of Sondrio, Luca Della Bitta, Mayor of Chiavenna, Franco Masanti, Mayor of Madesimo and Luca Bellotti , Vice-Mayor of Valfurva. At the table of the speakers, the protagonists of deaf and paralympic sports: Kang Chen, President of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf, Luca Pancalli, President of the Italian Paralympic Committee, Guido Zanecchia, President of the Italian Deaf Sports Federation, Giuseppe Petrucci, President of the Deaf National Authority, Piero Samueli, President of the Organizing Committee and Giacomo Pierbon, standard-bearer of the italian team.
The last time in Italy of the Winter Deaflympics was in 1983, in Madonna di Campiglio. Italy and Deaf Sport World are waiting for the opening ceremony on Thursday 12 December at 4:30 pm in Piazza Garibaldi in Sondrio; 33 countries and over 1000 people among athletes and staff for a total of 33 gold medals. Record numbers compared to the past (27 countries and 31 races, four years ago in Russia). For Italy, one of the most representative athletes of the deaf movement, Giacomo Pierbon, will carry the flag, which in 2015 won 5 medals, 3 gold and 2 silver, in alpine skiing. Free entry to the ceremony and all the competitions, including the finals: a choice by the Organizing Committee to allow everyone to enjoy a high level sporting event, as well as great social and tourist promotion. The six winter sports disciplines are: alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, ice hockey, curling and chess, just entered in the winter program. A special thank to Accademia Allenatori, AICS and the italian Federations: FISI, FISGH, Federscacchi that have been part of the operative commitee. See you Wednesday 11 December morning for the first match: men’s curling, in the Palazzo del Ghiaccio at Madesimo.
