VOLLEYBALL, PRESENTATION OF 2010 ITALIAN WORLD CUP Rome, 22 May 2008 – The Men’s World Volleyball Championship due to take place from 24 September to 10 October 2010 in ten Italian cities was presented today at the Italian National Olympic committee’s Salone d’Onore, in the presence of the president of the International federation, Ruben Acosta. In a festive atmosphere and at the presence of great volleyball personalities of the present and the past, (some players from the “Team of the Century” were present along with their trainers Pittera and Velasco as well as Anastasi and Perazzolo, players from the current Italian National Team), there was a symbolic passage of the baton from the World Cup which was also held in Rome thirty years ago (the silver medal of that Italian team inaugurated a golden era for Italian volleyball) to the World Cup due to be held in two years’ time in cities all over Italy, from the North to the South. Turin, Milan, Trieste, Verona, Modena, Florence, Rome, Ancona, Reggio Calabria and Catania are the cities where the world event will be held. The finals will be held in the Italian capital. As well as Mr. and Mrs. Acosta and the Italian hosts, also present were the president of the Italian Olympic Committee (Coni) Giovanni Petrucci and its Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi, the president of the federation Carlo Magri, the president of the Organizing Committee Carlo Salvatori, the executive director of the Committee Ernesto Albanese, the mayor of Rome Alemanno, with several official representatives of other host cities and, naturally, almost the entire Organizing Committee (the Committee is made up of great personalities from the world of Italian politics and finance. Besides Salvatori, Magri and Albanese, also present were Gilberto Benetton, Gaetano Guerci, Gianni Letta, Giovanni Malagò, Enzo Mei, Massimo Moratti, Marco Staderini and Antonio Vanoli). “President Magri and I have been talking about hosting the World Cup in Italy for ten years – said Acosta, - In the end we managed it and I’m sure that the 2010 World Cup will be the best one that has ever been organized. President Salvatori and the prestigious members of the Committee are a guarantee of success for the competition. Our sport is the one that is played by the highest number of people in the world after football, about 45 million persons. There are two years until 2010. It’s not a lot, and there are still many things to do, but I’m sure that this World Cup will help to promote volleyball in Italy and around the world”. Volleyball has evolved and developed more any other sport – said Coni’s president Petrucci – thanks to president Acosta. We are grateful to president Magri who really believed in this World Cup and was able to build a committee with such important people. My thoughts also go to our national team, which is preparing for the Olympic qualifications. I wish them the best of luck. Our team can’t miss out on Beijing”. “It will be the “Italian” World Cup – said Salvatori, president of the Organizing Committee - a world event that involves the whole country, with ten cities hosting the matches; ten cities, each one with its own characteristics, its own art, its own monuments, and each one with its own volleyball history. The tradition, culture and art of our country merge with the dynamism, liveliness and joy of volleyball. It will be a complex event. 24 teams will participate in a total of 78 matches, which will take place in the ten cities mentioned above. The Semifinals and the Finals will take place in Rome. The event will cost 36 million Euros, which will come from public funds, tickets, merchandising and sponsorship. With regard to sponsorship, we have already made contacts with several companies that have expressed the intention to associate their name with the world cup. It is indeed a great volleyball event, but it will also be a great media event and an excellent opportunity to promote our country, our artistic and natural heritage, and our organizing capacities. But above all it is an event that I am
sure will write a new chapter in the sporting history of our country. And I hope that it will be an exciting and unforgettable experience for everyone”. “This is a great day for me – added Magri, president of the federation - This World Cup is a great opportunity and a great challenge for our federation. I am sure that it will consolidate our volleyball both at a technical and organizational level”. All the World Cup programs will be transmitted by Rai (Italian State TV), which will broadcast all the matches live. “Rai’s commitment is impressive – said Rai Sport director Massimo De Luca. - It’s also thanks to Rai that volleyball has gained popularity. We need to meet very high standards, but we are ready and we’re already preparing for the event. We will also have dedicated programs thanks to the new channel Rai Sport +”. The official logo of the tournament, produced by Saatchi&Saatchi, was also unveiled at the press conference. Volleyball’s main characteristics, lightness, courage and group work are summed up in the image of birds in flight. The website of the tournament went online simultaneously. Images, videos and documents of the 2010 World Cup can be downloaded from the site www.volley2010.com.