Italy’s Prime Minister celebrates European Cups clean sweep with four elite clubs

It is already known since a few weeks that Italian women’s clubs will complete a clean sweep of the European Cups 2024. To celebrate this achievement, the highest authorities in Italian Volleyball as well as representatives of the relevant clubs responsible for the achievement of this impressive feat were received on Thursday morning at Palazzo Chigi in Rome by Italy’s first female Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni. 

The delegation included Italy’s Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi, the President of the Italian National Olympic Committee, Giovanni Malagò, the Presidents of the Italian Volleyball Federation Giuseppe Manfredi and Italian Women’s Volleyball League, Mr Mauro Fabris, as well as players and members of the coaching staff of four elite teams. Earlier this season, Reale Mutua Fenera CHIERI ’76 and Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA did triumph in the women’s CEV Cup and Challenge Cup, respectively, whereas A. Carraro Imoco CONEGLIANO and Allianz Vero Volley MILANO are due to contest an all-Italian CEV Champions League Super Final in Antalya this coming May 5. 

It is the seventh time in the European Cups history that Italian clubs complete a clean sweep of the three continental trophies at stake. 

“It was a very strong feeling when our Prime Minister acknowledged that Italian women’s Volleyball represents such an enormous source of pride, as we have been at the top of European Volleyball for some time and this season we have completed a clean sweep of all international trophies. We have asked our Prime Minister to take into consideration that these four clubs involve some 400 sponsors and that our volleyball family relies heavily on private investors. Therefore, we hope that the government will reintroduce the policy adopted during the coronavirus pandemic, which did work extremely well and accounted for special provisions for those sponsoring and supporting sporting activities,” said the President of the Italian Women’s Volleyball League, Mauro Fabris. 

The Prime Minister did take some time to play ball with superstars of the game such as Miriam Sylla, Paola Egonu, Joanna Wolosz, Monica De Gennaro, Cristina Chirichella, Anna Danesi, Ofelia Malinov, and Kaja Grobelna.  

Pictures courtesy of Lega Volley Femminile / Filippo Rubin