Table soccer, the Super Cup goes to the De Florio-Bagdasar pair
Supercup goes to the De Florio-Bagdasar pair
The historic first edition of the Balilla Soccer Supercup organized by the Italian Paralympic Federation of Balilla Soccer (FPICB) and staged over the weekend at the Tutti Insieme Park in Rome, Italy, goes on record. Victory went to the pair formed by Paolo De Florio and Lorin Bagdasar of the Polha-Varese Associazione Polisportiva Disabili team, who beat Domenico Smario and Giovanni Rotino of Panormus Palermo, while third were Daniele Riga and Andrea Sanso of ABR Calcio Balilla.
The podium was the result of an intense two-day challenge with the participation of some 50 athletes from all over Italy. “I can only express all my satisfaction with this event,” commented Francesco Bonanno, president of FPICB. “We witnessed an extraordinary show and we really enjoyed ourselves. I honestly did not expect to see so many athletes: I felt the desire to be together.”
The mission of the Supercup was also to observe and recruit new athletes for the blue project. In fact, in Rome, the technical committee viewed and evaluated possible new call-ups for the national team’s upcoming commitments, ahead of the World Series in Germany. “I can say,” Bonanno added, “that the level was really high and that there are new athletes in the movement, this thanks to the promotional activity of the Federation but also of the teams that have believed in our work and have been active in recent months to sign up new players.
Among the guests at the sports event, held in the green area Parco Tutti Insieme in Rome made possible thanks to the efforts of the Italian National Association of Singers, were Marco Iannuzzi, president of the Italian Paralympic Committee Lazio, Luca Serangeli, vice-president UsAcli Italia, and Dr. Francesca Ripani of the Italian Air Force.
“Congratulations go to the winners of the Phola Varese association, who achieved success after a short time since their debut in this sport discipline,” concluded the president. “But congratulations must be extended to all the athletes who participated and who gave us this two days of emotions. Finally, thanks to all the sponsors, teams and all the people who worked to make this event happen.”
Meanwhile, it was made official that the city of Palmi, Calabria, will host the Italian Cup on Oct. 14 and 15. Jesolo, on the other hand, will be the site of the Italian team championship from September 15 to 17 and already has 18 teams registered. From April 20 to 25, Francesco Bonanno, in his capacity as president of the International Paralympic Commission, will be in Hamburg at the next edition of the Master Series, where he will meet with the presidents of the various international federations to develop an ambitious new project.
