Today, in the council chamber of the Regional Council Palace of Cagliari, a moment of deep emotion was experienced with the delivery of a special award in memory of Gigi Riva . The legendary “Rombo di Tuono”, an unforgettable figure of Italian football and a symbol of Sardinia, was honored in front of the students of some Sardinian sports schools with a video of his extraordinary career that deeply moved everyone present . Tears, applause and an entire room standing accompanied the images that told not only of his footballing exploits, but also of the man who was able to become an icon of a land to which he has tied his heart forever, even though he was not born there.
Collecting the award, with great emotion, was his son Nicola Riva, who thanked him with emotion for the affection he has received and which he continues to receive wherever he goes .
The ceremony was organized by the National Council of ANSMeS, the National Association of Stars, Palms and Golden Collars for Sporting Merit of CONI and the Italian Paralympic Committee, with the patronage of the President of the Regional Council of Sardinia. On the same occasion, the prestigious “Luigi Ramponi” Award was awarded to Riccardo Agabio, a gymnast from Cagliari and a prominent figure in the national sports scene .
But today's meeting was not just a tribute to the great figures of sport. The presence of young students from sports institutes in Sardinia gave an even deeper meaning to the day, creating a bridge between generations. The students had the opportunity to meet and get to know some of the rossoblu of the scudetto (Greatti, Tomasini and Reginato) , discovering the value of commitment, passion and dedication, principles that Riva has always embodied in every one of his gestures.
The President of the Regional Council, Piero Comandini, then underlined the importance of the day: « For us, Gigi Riva does not only represent the champion on the field, but the value of the bond with the land, the attachment to the shirt and to Sardinia. Gigi is Sardinia, even if he was not born there . The values that sport brings with it, solidarity, friendship, are worth more than any trophy or medal. Today we are not only celebrating a sports hero, but we are sharing a moral legacy that we want to pass on to the new generations».
In the video, the interview with Riccardo Agabio and Nicola Riva.
