The 30th edition of the Fair Play Menarini International Award drew to a close at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino with an evening devoted to sport at its most authentic, a sport measured not only in memorable achievements but, above all, in responsibility and respect.
The stage brought together Olympic champions and leading figures from individual and team sports, weaving personal accounts and stories told for the first time into a special edition that honoured thirty years of moments able to move an audience far beyond the final score.
The ceremony on 2 July was preceded by the customary gala dinner at Piazzale Michelangelo, where the recipients, the Fair Play Menarini Ambassadors and representatives of leading institutions gathered in one of Florence’s most breathtaking settings. The evening served as a prelude to the Prize’s closing act, turning two days in Florence into a warm and meaningful occasion to come together.
The roster of recipients reflected the international standing of the 2026 edition. Football greats such as Diego Milito, Emilio Butragueño and Gianfranco Zola shared the stage with athletes who have left their mark on world sport: Armand Duplantis, the defining figure of modern pole vaulting; Gregorio Paltrinieri, a pillar of Italian swimming; Antonella Palmisano, one of the finest exponents of race walking; and Daniele Garozzo, a champion of Italian fencing.
The evening also belonged to athletes of remarkable resolve, true role models for the generations coming through. From Bebe Vio, a driving force in Paralympic sport and a tireless advocate for inclusion, to basketball player Achille Polonara, Simone Anzani, a standout in Italian volleyball, and Chiara Mazzel, a multiple medallist in Paralympic alpine skiing. Rounding out the group were Davide Ghiotto, Michele Malfatti and Andrea Giovannini, among the leading names in speed skating, and Fabio Caressa, honoured for his contribution to sports journalism.
Alongside the recipients, the anniversary was shared by the Fair Play Menarini Ambassadors Antonio Rossi, Giancarlo Antognoni, Ian Thorpe, Sasha Vujačić, Giacomo Perini and Andrea Zorzi, embodiments of a Prize that over the years has united champions from the most diverse walks of life.
The ceremony, broadcast live on Sky on channels 501 and 257, was hosted by Rachele Sangiuliano, Omar Schillaci, Michele Cagiano and Federico Buffa, who guided the audience through this thirtieth-anniversary evening.
The deeper meaning of the occasion also shone through in the words of Luca Lastrucci, Valeria Speroni Cardi and Filippo Paganelli, members of the Board of the Fair Play Menarini Foundation: an anniversary that stands not merely as a milestone, but as the renewal of a commitment, that of telling life stories in which «talent finds its truest meaning when it is matched by respect, integrity and fairness».
Here are the recipients of the 2026 edition:
● Achille Polonara, basketball
● Antonella Palmisano, race walking
● Armand Duplantis, pole vault
● Bebe Vio, Paralympic athletics
● Chiara Mazzel, Paralympic skiing
● Daniele Garozzo, fencing
● Davide Ghiotto – Michele Malfatti – Andrea Giovannini, speed skating
● Diego Milito, football
● Emilio Butragueño, football
● Fabio Caressa, journalism
● Gianfranco Zola, football
● Gregorio Paltrinieri, swimming
● Simone Anzani, volleyball
Explore the 2026 Edition of the Fair Play Menarini International Award on our website:
2026 Edition - Fair Play Menarini International Award
