Now it’s official, Ferdinando De Giorgi and Julio Velasco have signed the renewal of their contracts as technical commissioners of the Italian men’s and women’s volleyball respectively. The signing of the contracts arrived directly on stage during the press conference during the «General States of Volleyball» in Milan, with the president of Fipav Giuseppe Manfredi who signed both contracts before they were countersigned by the two technicians. “With the contracts we will reach the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics”, explained Manfredi himself.
Velasco: “The silver in Atlanta with the men is the least celebrated medal in history”
«The Olympic gold medal won this year with the women’s team – said Velasco – does not compensate for the one not won with the men, nothing compensates for anything else. The men’s national team gave me a lot of satisfaction, the silver in Atlanta 1996 is the least celebrated medal in history and it’s something that made me angry then and continues to make me angry today. In Italy we have many advantages but we don’t have the ability to enhance what we have.” «In Italy it is not worthwhile to win, if one wins then he is always condemned to win. If he comes second he is asked ‘how come you lost?’. This gold medal will never make up for me but I’m very proud to have had that silver. And I’m also very proud that that team didn’t blame anyone after losing, we stayed silent. It is a message that that team gave and which should be an element of education for the new generations.”