Raffaele Chiulli, President of SAFE (Sostenibilità Ambientale Fonti Energetiche) and GAISF (Global Association of International Sports Federations) had the honor to hand over the prestigious “SAFE Ambassadors” award to Gianni Maddaloni, founder of the Star Judo Club of Scampia (Naples), and to his son “Pino” Maddaloni, olympic gold medalist in Judo.
Gianni Maddaloni is a point of reference for all those who want to break free from the underworld into which they have fallen. In Scampia every day his gym welcomes hundreds of children who attend Judo courses, and promotes social reintegration paths for inmates and former inmates. Pino, encouraged and supported by his father, won Olympic gold in the 73 kg category, and today works with Gianni in the most important match, a challenge that goes far beyond the tatami.
Both have learned and are educating, in particular the new generations, on how essential it is to fight crime by any means and they have done this in the way they know and they do best: through sport.
The commitment of Gianni and Pino Maddaloni can be summarize in their words: opportunity, sacrifice and revenge. Gianni and Pino represent a daily source of inspiration, persistence and positive energy for the people of Scampia and that’s why we are proud to give them the “SAFE Ambassador” award” – said Raffaele Chiulli.
Sport, as energy, is solidarity and social inclusion, and trough sport we can generate radical and positive changes in people’s lifestyle.
The commitment of SAFE and the Maddaloni family will help to make a concrete contribution to unite in diversity, especially in situations of environmental and social degradation, conflict and poverty. Sport as a vehicle of positivity, hope, recovery and resilience!
