The Italian Volleyball Federation has marked its 80th anniversary at a ceremony in Rome which recognised long-standing clubs and figures associated with the sport’s development in the capital and Lazio.
FIPAV Roma said the event took place on 2 October at the Parco dei Principi Grand Hotel & SPA, as part of the federation’s wider anniversary programme. The Italian Volleyball Federation was founded on 31 March 1946, and the Rome occasion was intended to connect that national milestone with the work of clubs, athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers in the region.
According to the territorial committee, about 450 people attended, including sporting administrators, club representatives, athletes, coaches, referees, award recipients, families and journalists. Giuseppe Manfredi, the federation president, sent a video message for the event.
The programme placed particular emphasis on organisations with a lengthy place in the federation structure. Two clubs received specially minted medals for reaching 60 years of affiliation with FIPAV. The awards marked the clubs’ 60 years of federation affiliation.
Long-serving clubs receive recognition
Pallavolo Velletri and ASD Civitavecchia were the two clubs honoured for their six decades of affiliation. Irene Barbiero collected the award on behalf of Pallavolo Velletri, which FIPAV Roma said has won 17 territorial titles, 18 regional titles and the Italian Under-15 championship in 2003.
Marina Pergolesi received the recognition for ASD Civitavecchia. The federation described the club as an established presence for volleyball on the coast and said it had supported several players on their way to Serie A, naming Leonardo Sandu, Alessia Arciprete, Syria Tangini and Sofia Giuli among more recent examples.
The medals were produced by Italy’s state printing and minting institute, according to the federation. The awards recognised 60 years of federation affiliation and formed part of an evening dedicated to the history of volleyball in Rome and Lazio.
FIPAV Roma also used the evening to acknowledge figures connected with major clubs and achievements in the area. Those recognised included Enrico Testa, who was president of Piaggio Roma when it won the men’s Italian title in 2000, and Massimo Mezzaroma, associated with M. Roma Volley’s 2008 CEV Cup success.
Giovanni Avalle, Pietro Mele and Luigi Caruso were also among those honoured. The federation said Avalle and his sister Simonetta had taken Tor Sapienza to national prominence; it credited Mele with helping bring women’s Serie A1 back to Rome through Roma Volley; and it noted that Casal de’ Pazzi’s youth system had subsequently become part of Volleyrò.
Past achievements alongside current disciplines
A discussion titled 80 years of volleyball brought together Claudio Di Coste and Daniele Lupo. Di Coste was identified by FIPAV Roma as a participant in the title-winning Ariccia sides of 1974-75 and Federlazio side of 1976-77, as well as a world silver medallist with Italy.
Lupo represented a later generation and beach volleyball. The federation described him as the 2016 Olympic silver medallist, a three-time European champion and seven-time Italian champion. Their inclusion gave the event a cross-disciplinary scope, rather than limiting its retrospective to indoor volleyball.
There were also video messages from Julio Velasco, coach of Italy’s women’s national team, and Ferdinando De Giorgi, coach of the men’s team. Caterina De Marinis, Paolo Nicolai and Pasquale D’Aniello contributed material concerning beach volleyball and sitting volleyball.
Local public figures attended the ceremony, including Alessandro Onorato of Roma Capitale, Svetlana Celli of the Capitoline Assembly, Ferdinando Bonessio, Mario Luciano Crea, FIPAV Roma president Claudio Martinelli, former FIPAV vice-president Luciano Cecchi and FIPAV Lazio president Massimo Moni. Their presence illustrated the event’s civic and regional focus.
The celebration recognised people and clubs associated with the growth of volleyball in Rome and Lazio. The programme recognised clubs with long federation affiliation and administrators who, according to FIPAV Roma, helped volleyball grow in the region.