Valentina Vezzali Undersecretary for Sport, from the platform to politics

Valentina Vezzali is the woman indicated by Prime Minister Mario Draghi to hold the position of Undersecretary for Sport. Adored or hated (especially by many colleagues), with VV there have never been half measures. Vezzali is one of the symbolic athletes of Italian sport, for the delegation to Sport a technical profile was needed in a very delicate moment with many disciplines stopped due to a pandemic and an entire system to be redefined.

Jesina, 47 years old, two children, Pietro (16) and Andrea (8), separated (she moved in 2002 with the former footballer Domenico Giugliano), one of the greatest fencers in history.

The bulletin board leaves no doubt: 3 times Olympic gold in individual Foil (but there are 6 Olympic golds won, plus a silver medal and two bronze medals), 16 world golds and 13 Europeans. Two golds at the Mediterranean Games and finally 5 golds and three silvers at the Universiade. She put her personality, ambition and tenacity into it. And the ferocity – sporting – in reaching the finish line every time. She was standard-bearer at the 2012 London Olympics. Her slogan: “This is sport: sweat, sacrifices, training and then you win or lose”.

The girl who grew up in the myth of Sara Simeoni (the blue gold in the high jump at the 1980 Moscow Games), she began to get on the platform when she was only 6 years old when the maestro Triccoli enrolled her in the Jesi Fencing Club and stopped doing the activity in 2016. “I wanted to recover my life, ”he said at the time. He has a political career behind him, who saw her engaged with Mario Monti’s “Scelta Civica”. In 2013 she was elected deputy. Testimonial Aism, Italian Multiple Sclerosis Association, committed to social issues. Strongly a believer, he said that one of the best moments of his life was the meeting with Pope Francis. He loves reading, especially Ken Follett and John Grisham; is passionate about tennis, water polo and football. Like many Italian colleagues, she is enrolled in the Police Corps and esteemed by the former boss Franco Gabrielli, Draghi’s undersecretary with responsibility for the Services.

Among her detractors, more than a few former friends and colleagues. She was attacked and little attention was paid to gender equality when – after an episode of “Porta a porta in 2008” – she replied to a joke by Silvio Berlusconi. “” President, I would really let you touch me. ” She has always let all the criticisms slip on her, going on her way.

After the Rio Olympics, on the day of his farewell to sporting activity, he said: «After every end there is always a beginning. Today, outside the window, I don’t see a sunset, but the dawn of new challenges… to face and win ». The window is the same, the challenges have changed. No longer on the platform, but in the much more complicated territory of politics.