The Azzurri take to the pitch in support of cancer research. A few hours ahead of the match between Italy and Poland, during which the AIRC campaign 'I Giorni della Ricerca 2020' will be promoted, the President of the FIGC, Gabriele Gravina, and the head of the Italy National Team delegation, Gianluca Vialli, visited the Oncological and Haematological Centre of Reggio-Emilia.

President of the Emilia-Romagna region Stefano Bonaccini, the Councillor for Health of Emilia Romagna Raffele Donini and the Mayor Luca Vecchi, invited Gravina and Vialli to visit the Centre and emphasise the importance of excellent centres such as CORE, which have maintained the highest quality of diagnosis and cancer treatment, despite the various difficulties caused by Covid-19.

 The visit to this specialised centre, which in recent months has actually increased its activity compared to the first half of last year, reaffirmed the Italy national team’s commitment to doctors, health care workers and researchers, who work with dedication and professionalism in all areas of medicine. In fact, during the difficult period that Italy is experiencing, FIGC intends to further enhance the importance and notoriety of football in our society, taking an active role with various initiatives of social responsibility.

After Bergamo, when they were preparing for the match against the Netherlands, several initiatives in favour of John XXIII and Humanitas hospitals were carried out. Now, it was the Reggio-Emilia’s turn, because the Azzurri thread of solidarity is not broken, but rather strengthened. In addition to Gravina, Vialli, Donini and Vecchi taking part in the visit, there was Cristina Marchesi, general director of Ausl of Reggio Emilia, Annibale Versari, director of the Oncology Department of the Hospital and Alessia Ciarrocchi, head of the research laboratory of Irccs of Reggio Emilia and researcher Airc.

 “Football has developed a great sense of responsibility towards social awareness,” said Gravina. “FIGC is leading this path, promoting its own initiatives and supporting others. We want to meet the needs and priorities of our country and this is another testimony, strong support to those who are at the forefront of health care, those who suffer and those who do research. I want to thank the head of the Azzurri delegation, Gianluca Vialli, whose presence means that there are many ways to be the Italy team and to form a team. In particular, him being present here today, meeting doctors and researchers and sending messages of hope is heartwarming to see.”

 “CORE is one of Emilia-Romagna’s great health entities, a Centre where tumours are not only treated for research purposes, but also by putting the patient first. CORE’s staff, even during this terrible pandemic, have never stopped doing their job to the best of their ability and beyond”, explains Donini. “That's why in these difficult days, in which we have also witnessed unspeakable incidences against our doctors and health workers, it is important to have here the presence of a delegation of the Azzurri, the football team upon which can always rely: thank you for shining the spotlight on those who are committed every day in the front line for the health of all.”

 “The arrival of the National team is still a great moment of celebration, in particular in a region like Emilia-Romagna that is investing so much in sport. It’s a tool for cohesion and the dissemination of values that create a community” says Manghi. “If many professionals can dedicate themselves to the fight against Covid, it is also thanks to the teamwork of their colleagues, who continue to work in the other departments to ensure the stability of our health system. On behalf of President Stefano Bonaccini, I want to thank them all and, together with them, I thank Gravina and Vialli, who represent the National Team, for having singled out those who take care of people's health every day, even in the most difficult of periods.”

During the morning, after Azzurri squad did their final training session at the Mapei Training Center, President Gravina and a delegation of the Azzurri formed by the head of the delegation Gianluca Vialli, team manager Gabriele Oriali, captain Bonucci, Berardi, Locatelli, Ferrari and Acerbi took part in the ceremony naming the access road to the Sassuolo sports centre after the late Giorgio Squinzi.

 “Today is a special day for me,” said Gravina, before going to the artificial grass field named after Dr Adriana Spazzoli. “Which leads me to identify this state-of-the-art centre with the image of Giorgio Squinzi, whom I had the honour and pleasure to meet. Today it is an extraordinary image from the point of view of the ability to transmit that model of life, design and management, a model accompanied by a very high level of perception. Italian football and sport must deeply thank Squinzi and his family for what they have done and what they will continue to do.”