Thoughts, anecdotes and unexpected backstories providing an insight into sport. It was an emotion-packed evening for the talk show Fair Play Menarini – The Champions Tell their Stories. Fair play, Olympic spirit, and respect served as the unifying theme of the event, in which top athletes captivated the audience with stories of the challenges and successes of their journey. In this year’s edition, the talk show, held in the stunning setting of the Salone dei Cinquecento at Palazzo Vecchio, proved to be an unprecedented opportunity to share and celebrate the values of fair play.

“In this year’s edition, the Fair Play Menarini Awards has, once again, celebrated the values of sport and its champions – said the Mayor of Florence, Sara Funaro – Values that are not just about athletic skills but also include all the so-called life skills. These values are not limited to sports, but can be applied to any area of daily life, such as empathy and the ability to build and maintain long-lasting, positive social relationships. Fundamental qualities for building a better, more inclusive society based upon respect, which is why I extend my heartfelt thanks to the Menarini Group”.

A whole host of guests took turns on the stage, starting with a historical name like Javier Zanetti, the legendary captain of Inter Nazionale and Argentina’s national side, winner of the 2023 Fair Play Menarini International Award. Another unforgettable champion for the world of volleyball: Andrea Zorzi, 2010 Fair Play Menarini Ambassador and representative of the ‘generation of phenomena’ that won the World Championship twice in the 1990s. The new face of Italian volleyball was represented by Ekaterina Antropova, gold medal winner at the Paris 2024 Games with the Italian team coached by Julio Velasco. The last two Olympics have also seen the rise of Andy Diaz, the triple jump champion who bagged his first medal in France competing for Italy after leaving Cuba. The stars present in Palazzo Vecchio also included Fabrizio Donato, the bronze medal winner at London 2012, who, three years ago, welcomed Diaz into his home with open arms and became his coach. The athletics’ idol, Rigivan Ganeshamoorthy, captured the hearts of the Italian public, sharing his experiences at the Paris 2024 Paralympics where he came away with a gold medal in the discus throw, breaking the world record three times in a row. The spotlight was on Giuliano Razzoli for skiing, a gold medal winner in the slalom at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and Fair Play Menarini Ambassador, who retired after twenty years on the slopes last May. The Salone dei Cinquecento also resounded with enthusiastic applause for Borja Valero, the Spanish midfielder who become an icon for the Fiorentina team and darling of the team’s fans. Journalist, Federico Buffa, who was among the winners of the 28th Fair Play Menarini International Award, then delighted viewers with his unique way of telling stories about global sports icons.

The Italian Olympic Committee also took part in the talk show, represented by Silvia Salis, the Committee’s acting vice president and former hammer throw champion, who took part in two Olympic Games.

Viewers of Sky’s Channel 501 were also able to tune into the event live, organised in partnership with Sky TG24, for the very first time. Inspired by the sports stars at Palazzo Vecchio, the audience at home watched the show presented by Rachele Sangiuliano, former volleyball champion and Sky Sport host, the Deputy Directors of Sky TG24, Omar Schillaci and Michele Cagiano, together with Alessandro Acton, journalist and Sky Sport host.

“Once again, in this edition of The Champions Tell their Stories, we have heard the unique stories of people who have sport running in their veins – declared Valeria Speroni Cardi and Filippo Paganelli, members of the Board of the Fair Play Menarini Foundation – All that remains now is to invite you to join us for the twenty-ninth edition in the summer of 2025, with a continued commitment to sharing the values of Fair Play Menarini with the younger generations, in particular”.