(PRIMASPORT) BARI – The 11th edition of the CONI Trophy, a sporting event open to over 4,000 athletes under 14 from all Italian regions, was inaugurated in the evocative setting of Bari's Arena della Vittoria. The event will take place from October 4th to 7th in the provinces of Bari, Lecce, Brindisi, and Taranto. The Trophy involves 45 sports organizations and features the participation of five Italian Communities Abroad, from Australia, Brazil, Venezuela, the United States, and Switzerland.
The biggest news is the participation of Paralympic athletes representing Puglia, Lazio, and Veneto. "This is an experimental phase. In a rush, we gave three delegations the opportunity to equip themselves for the athletics competitions, but starting next year, we will give our full support to CONI, and this will become the CONI-CIP trophy: an extraordinary sign of integration and equal dignity," said the president of the Italian Paralympic Committee, Marco Giunio De Sanctis, who attended the inaugural ceremony alongside CONI president Luciano Buonfiglio. "We must deliver, and this means there is integration between these two organizations—one is larger, the other smaller, but they have equal dignity. Holding these events is perfectly aligned with our true mission, which is promotional activity: we must introduce as many people as possible to sporting activities," remarked President De Sanctis, who reinforced the point by talking about numbers. There are over one and a half million people with disabilities, and everyone should have the right to participate in sports. Today, the number of people with disabilities participating in sports is lower, but our potential is incredible. The CONI Trophy can be a catalyst for further growth for the entire movement. And the path is set in this direction is also demonstrated by the fact that the bonfire at the Bari edition was lit by Tokyo Olympic champion Antonella Palmisano, gold medalist in the walking event, and Paralympic shooting champion Gianluca Iacus. During his visit to Bari, CIP national president Marco Giunio De Sanctis will meet, among others, with the president of the Puglia Region, Antonio Decaro. "So far, at the local level, I've found people who have always given me reassuring answers and great availability. The movement is destined to become increasingly important, but a key step is also our growth at the managerial level.".
Lombardy, the defending champion from 2025, is represented by over 300 young people. The regional delegation is represented by Marco Riva, president of CONI Lombardia. Michele Cadei, president of Motonautica Lombardia and member of the CONI regional Sports and Culture Commission, will lead the young powerboat athletes in the activities scheduled in Brindisi. (PRIMASPORT)
