Dr. Valter Gherardi, Giulia Pigoni and Luca Toni
Half a million euros in the three-year period 2024-2026 for activities to combat the abandonment of sports by children of school age and adolescence. This is provided for by a law of the Emilia-Romagna Region first signed by the councilor and candidate in the European elections Giulia Pigoniwho presented it this morning in Modena together with the footballer and world champion Luca Toni.
“Sport has an important social, educational and training function. Physical-motor and recreational activity – commented Giulia Pigoni – represents a fundamental value especially for young people. It can act as a vehicle for integration in particular for those at risk of marginalization and, more generally, for people in conditions of social and economic disadvantage. It is therefore essential to combat the phenomenon of sports abandonment: to do so a series of actions is needed which require an allocation of regional resources and collaboration with schools and universities”.
“The important thing is not to become champions – added Luca Toni – but doing sports, even the most diverse ones. Sport is sociality, I have never imposed one sport over another on my children. I told him to choose and then continue practicing it. I believe it is very important to fight sports abandonment. And also the many distractions resulting from video games and social media.”
For young people in secondary schools, sport can often take on a negative meaning of sacrifice (loss of free time and excessive commitment). Hence the bill which aims to create the conditions to avoid abandonment of sports.
Amateur sports clubs and associations, sports promotion bodies, CONI, the Italian Paralympic Committee, Federations, local authorities and other public entities will be able to benefit from regional contributions; educational institutions.
“Ensure the continuation of sports practice for our young people – Pigoni commented – it is a universal priority and one that has no color or political flag. A priority that today, with the work and commitment of everyone (council and councilors who voted for the law), finds a concrete response”.