Fefé De Giorgi honored in Genoa

Fefé De Giorgi honored in Genoa

More than 250 guests, a parade of “stars” and a hug to Prof. Henriquet and the great “team” of Gigi Ghirotti. After 3 years of “absence” due to covid, the Charity Dinner of Stelle nello Sport, a project conceived 24 years ago to promote the culture and values of sports in Liguria, was held in the magnificent setting of the Acquario di Genova.

Many champions from different disciplines “took the field” who, alongside authorities, entrepreneurs and sports managers “testified” their support for the Gigi Ghirotti Foundation. “Since the beginning of our journey,” says Michele Corti, creator of Stelle nello Sport, “we wanted to put our whole ‘team’ at the service of a goal and we found in Prof. Henriquet and the Gigi Ghirotti an extraordinary mission. It is a pride and an honor for all of us to be able to do something for those who dedicate their lives every day to the service of others.”

Guest of honor for the evening was the coach of the world champion Italian national volleyball team, Ferdinando “Fefé” De Giorgi, who was presented with the “Un Cuore da Leone – Gian Luigi Corti” award, a recognition instituted by Stelle nello Sport and Unione Stampa Sportiva Italiana to commemorate the figure of the Italian national team journalist and sports executive with his extraordinary story of passion, commitment and generosity. The award, given last year to Gianluca Vialli, was defined by an extraordinary jury, chaired by Filippo Grassia and composed of top Italian sports executives, including Giovanni Malagò and Luca Pancalli, and the most prestigious names in sports journalism.

“I am honored to receive this award for two reasons,” De Giorgi recounted from the stage. “For the prestige and motivation that goes beyond the successes on the field and recognizes the value of the path that I and my boys have made and are making. And especially because it is named after a great sportsman, Gian Luigi Corti, whom I had the pleasure of meeting. With him I made my debut in the national team. It was 1987 and he was vice president of Fipav and head of the Italian national team. A straightforward, direct, affable person. He did so much for Italian volleyball. I am happy to have experienced this emotion precisely in “his” Genoa where I had the pleasure of playing and winning the World League in 1992. We hope soon to return here with the national team because Genoa and Liguria have a great passion for sports and the Stelle nello Sport project that has been going on for 24 years is an extraordinary demonstration of this.”