FLORENCE, July 3rd, 2023 – More surprises are in store in the XXVII edition of the Fair Play Menarini International Awards. Tennis legend, Francesca Schiavone, has joined the list of 2023 award winners, taking home the award in the “Sport and Life” category.

The 2010 Roland Garros winner, first woman in Italian tennis to win a Grand Slam tournament and to reach the 4^th position in the WTA ranking, will take the stage for the awards ceremony at the Roman Theatre in Fiesole on Wednesday, July 5th. Winner of a combination of 15 WTA singles and doubles titles and the Roland Garros Legends 2022 trophy, she has now launched the Schiavone Team Lab, a project for young talented players. Members of the public at the Fair Play Menarini International Awards will also be inspired by the personal story of the player, nicknamed the “Lioness”, who faced the toughest game of her life after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

“We are delighted to welcome another champion to our award winners”, said Antonello Biscini, Valeria Speroni Cardi and Ennio Troiano, Board members of the Fair Play Menarini Foundation. “We are very excited about this year’s edition and look forward to sharing it with our audience”.

The three-day event will kick off today Monday, July 3rd, with the talk show “The Champions tell their Stories” in Piazza della Signoria in Florence, and continue on Tuesday, July 4th, with the gala dinner at Piazzale Michelangelo before concluding with the awards ceremony at the Roman Theatre in Fiesole on Wednesday, July 5th.

Admission to the closing event in Fiesole is free but advance booking is required. To participate, just register on this link and indicate the name and number of attendees.

Here are the award winners and categories of the XXVII Fair Play Menarini International Awards:

- FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE, “Sport and Life” category

- JAVIER ZANETTI, “Legendary Figure” category

- DEBORAH COMPAGNONI, “Career Fair Play” Category

- ALESSANDRA CAMPEDELLI, “Social Values of Sport” Category
- ANTONIO CABRINI, “A Role Model for Youth” Paolo Rossi Special Prize Category
- ELISA DI FRANCISCA, “Sport and Courage” Category
- GIULIA GHIRETTI, “Sport Beyond Sport” SUSTENIUM Energy and Heart Category
- LARISSA IAPICHINO, “A Smile for Life” Category
- MASSIMILIANO ROSOLINO, “Sport Promotion” Category
- LUIS ALBERTO SCOLA BALVOA, “Fair Play” Category
- LISA VITTOZZI, “Fair Play and the Environment” Category
- JACOPO VOLPI, “Narrating Emotions” Franco Lauro Special Prize Category
- MARIACLOTILDE ADOSINI, “Young Athletes” Category
- EMILIA ROSSATTI, “Young Athletes” Category
- GIORGIO PIETRO TORRISI, “Young Athletes” Category
- GIANLUCA GENSINI, “Studio and Sport” Fiamme Gialle Special Prize Category

The following Fair Play Menarini Ambassadors shall also be attending:

GIANCARLO ANTOGNONI

EDWIN MOSES

FEDERICA PELLEGRINI

TOMMIE SMITH