"Tell me who he was ”, the story of 12 champions whose careers have been cut short by tragic events or illness. A tribute to great personalities who have left their mark in various disciplines of competitive sport. "Tell me who he was" is the book of Francis Ceniti, journalist of the Gazzetta dello Sport, presented in Conflenti (Catanzaro) in an initiative promoted by Italiani.it Foundation and by 'Asd Conflenti 2018.
Ceniti, born in Rome and raised in Calabria, also published the novel "The lost drawers"And the reportage"A prison in the ball”Which ranked third at Bancarella 2009 award.
Tell me who it was, a great event in the mountains of Calabria
The presentation of the book "Tell me who was" was held in Conflenti, a small mountain town in the heart of Calabria. The public meeting animated the churchyard of the Pontifical minor basilica dedicated to the Madonna della Quercia di Visora.
It was to introduce the debate Paola Stranges, Chairman of the Italiani.it Foundation creator and organizer of the event in collaboration with the Asd Conflenti which promotes sporting activity among young people in conflict. In dialogue with Ceniti, Charles Talarico journalist of the Courier of sport, and John Putaro journalist of Okay tennis. During the meeting, Giampiero Galeazzi, historical chronicler of the Rai, who signed the preface of the book.
"Tell me who he was", from laurels to oblivion due to a tragic fate
"The champion is someone like us who collects successes but who also happens to fall, to have difficult moments. The difficulties should not be ignored because they make you better understand the humanity of the true sportsman who, after the great successes, perhaps struggles with a terrible disease.
And then there are the cases of great champions passed away prematurely after a brilliant career full of coveted goals. They are exceptional figures who, due to a tragic fate, ended the parable of their existence too soon.
An example for the younger generation
They are champions who risk being forgotten forever and which, on the other hand, must still be appreciated and esteemed above all by the younger generations ". This, in summary, is the thought of Francis Ceniti, author of the volume which is a tribute to great professionals (some alive, others not) who have made it great Italian sport.
The contribution of Giampiero Galeazzi
Giampiero Galeazzi, a great RAI journalist who was also a sportsman as a young man, spoke by telephone to the Conflenti debate. His powerful voice excited the many present in the churchyard who greeted him with numerous applause. Galeazzi he recalled a little of his long career as a sports reporter who moved from football to rowing to tennis with splendid ease.
The well-known journalist also made an intriguing proposal, namely to write a book about the ten ladies of Italian sport. The ten champions who, with their performances and the records achieved, constitute a real milestone for the Italian female sporting competition.
The Italiani.it Foundation
The Conflenti event was strongly supported by the Italiani.it Foundation which is the 'daughter' of the great network www.italiani.it, the network of Italians in the world. “The mission of the Foundation - explains the president Paola Stranges - continues and strengthens the goal that the network has had for many years, namely to enhance and promote Italian excellence. History, art, culture, traditions, good food, and much more.
These are the areas that www.italiani.it and the Foundation of the same name want to make known to the Italians who live in Beautiful country and to all the compatriots scattered from one end of the planet to the other. We work in the territories - underlines the president of the Foundation - to highlight the good and the beautiful that still exists and that often is not sufficiently paid attention. It starts from the local and then goes beyond national borders with the aim of present the world of made in Italy excellence to the globalized universe of the web".
