Malagò: "Now we need funding: we will put our soul into Milan-Cortina"

The president of Coni: “Nobody can think that, when you win 17 medals, only two are gold. But it remains a record expedition. And we are a multidisciplinary country like few others. Average age of the medalists 26 years: well in view of 2026”

Before the Closing Ceremony, Giovanni Malagò made an assessment of Beijing 2022 at Casa Italia. Thus the president of Coni, who inevitably thinks about the next Games, which will be in Italy: “In what will Milan-Cortina 2026 be better than Beijing 2022? The real argument is the soul, the atmosphere. Surely here it was particularly conditioned by the issue of the pandemic. I know how the Games were in South Korea, where there was no pandemic: when the Goggia won the descent, there were 137 people present. On this we will make a difference “. And then: “The average age of the Azzurri medalists in Beijing was around 26. It is an excellent sign for Milan-Cortina”.

“Financing is needed”

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In view of the Games in Italy, Malagò points out: “We have dutifully requested a contribution to plan four years at best. In words, every week has been the right one to unblock the situation, even if we are already late because we were already expecting it between September and December. Here it is about taking boys and girls aged 15 to 18 who have to be for 4 years in a permanent withdrawal reasoning and funding is needed. Those who host the Olympics do much better, you play the wild card because you are in everywhere “.

The 17 medals

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Then an eye on the Beijing Games: “I have always said that we would win between 13 and 17 medals, but no one can think that, when you win 17, only two are gold. A numerical reading could summarize that Italians are much better at winning medals than golds. A question of cents, injuries, judgments, but it is something to think about. But from a quantitative point of view it remains a record expedition. It is evident that we are multidisciplinary as no one is. Below the qualitative profile of the medal table this can be an element of weakness, but in terms of sports culture this is an added value that we have. If we look at the disciplines that won medals all over the world between Tokyo and Beijing, we are at 28 sees the third place in the world. First United States, second Russia and third Italy. This is a reason for great reflection on sports policy, which will have to be developed with some urgency but at the same time tive of great pride “.