Sport and Fair Play Day on Saturday at the Teatro Sociale is here transformed in a clash between the mayor Alessandro Rapini and the Asd Lario Judo association which, on stage, instead of accepting the expected recognition, exhibited (with the president Laura Di Adamo and the instructor Paolo Piacenti) two posters with the words “Thanks but no prize” and “We want the gym”.
A protest that was planned shortly after the request arrived from the Municipality to indicate the name of deserving athletes under 14. The association, which trains at the “Corridoni” in via Sinigaglia, a school that the mayor has included among those to be closed from the next school year, has indicated that of a boy who, in reality, does not exist. «For the first time – they then explained in a note – Filippo Correttore will take the stage. He is not a boy of flesh and blood but a spirit. The spirit of sport and fairplay of this event. Instead of accepting the prize, he is the spokesperson for a message as simple as it is strong: “Thanks but no prize, we would like the gym”.
Correttore’s name had been indicated by the association to the Municipality which, unaware, was ready to reward him with the councilors Alberto Fontana e Chiara Bodero Maccabeobut the mayor Alessandro Rapinese and the prime minister were also on stage Fulvio Anzaldo. Corrector, writes the judo school, «does not exist physically but contains many of the qualities of the young judokas of the association, their parents and technicians. It represents our community.”
Initially it should have been called Filippo Corridore, but then it was changed because it was too similar to the name of the school. Hence the change so that «the perspective looming over the school in via Sinigaglia is corrected» since with the complex «it would close the only training center of the Lario judo school. After 20 years of commitment we are offered no alternative.”
The two teachers, after showing the signs to those present (including the mayor), then returned to the audience. A provocation, theirs, which is added to the complaints and the appeal to the TAR for the closure of the school that the mayor wants to transform into a parking garage.
On stage, next to Rapinese, there was also the sporting director of Como 1907 Carlalberto Ludi to attend the protest. «In Italy – the mayor’s words – the right to protest is guaranteed and they could do it in a hundred legitimate ways, but they chose the wrong way to do it, in fact they cheated on the day dedicated to fair play by declaring the name of a non-existent child to the organization just to get on stage. Given their activity, if that gym closes we will have many to propose and if they want to be moved tomorrow morning we can proceed.”
In conclusion, he brands athletes as “political opponents”, defining them as “normal political opponents who have exploited a party dedicated to fair play and children”. The Polisportiva Comense and Basket Como also did not show up at the demonstration at the Sociale, in dispute with the Municipality.
Meanwhile, solidarity with Lario Judo from the League. “The mayor’s total detachment from reality is now clear for all to see,” say the city councilor Elena Negretti e Paolo Muttonicoordinator of the Cumasch Youth – Even more serious is the attitude of the Councillors. Useless, silent and subservient to the mayor’s choices. Incapable of even the slightest leap of dignity to contradict him.”
