He has always loved sport, but now as Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (Maeci), as well as Vice-President of the Council of Ministers, Antonio Tajani has sought to fully exalt sport’s diplomatic potential, the value that an evenly matched competition can have in the collective imagination of those who watch our country from afar.
Minister Tajani, can you explain this new ‘sports diplomacy’ strategy adopted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs?
“‘Sports diplomacy’ is a new tool we are introducing to showcase Italian excellence, districts and industries through sport and its protagonists. With sport, which has always been a means of strengthening a country’s image, we want to narrate Italy. Sport becomes a ‘soft power’ element that is also supported by the vast Italian communities around the world. ‘Sports diplomacy’ can therefore play an important role both in making Italy’s sports system more international and in promoting Italy abroad”.
Today, together with Sports Minister Andrea Abodi, you will present the first ‘Giornata dello sport italiano nel mondo’ (Italian Sports Day in the World), which will also see Paralympic swimmer Manuel Bortuzzo, the women’s national epee team (with Flamingo and Santuccio present) and the volleyball team (with Federal President Manfredi) receive the title of ‘Ambassadors of Sports Diplomacy’.
“The event will be a new thematic review, the result of a collaboration between the two ministries and all the sports bodies. It will be held annually in the second week of September. It is important to bear in mind that sport is also an economic accelerator: the sports sector generates in fact about 22 billion euro, or 1.3 per cent of the national GDP, involving about 400,000 workers and more than 15,000 private companies. Furthermore, if we consider all the industrial or service sectors related to sport, we reach almost 5 per cent of GDP. We have also launched initiatives and partnerships of the Ministry that centre on international events such as the Giro d’Italia, with a view also to Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. And that’s not all. Our embassy in Brazzaville, Congo, will organise an Under-18 football tournament; in Cuba we have used boxing as an instrument for the inclusion of young people. In Brasilia we will work on crime prevention through sport. In Washington our embassy is organising a digital communication campaign for the Giro d’Italia; in London we will organise a race ending in the Italy Run Village. In Bahrain we are setting up a Punto Italia on sports technology. All of this is done in close collaboration with organisations such as CONI, the Italian Olympic Committee, Sport e Salute, sports federations, and Istituto per il Credito Sportivo. Thanks to the latter, we have managed to boost many events with high international visibility, from the Giro d’Italia to the Ryder Cup, providing a modern image of Italy, which is also indispensable for tourism and attracting investors. With the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics and Paralympics we will also have the opportunity to show the world the variety and richness of Italian excellences, territories, innovation and culture. The Italian G7 Presidency is also leading an initiative on Sport for Sustainable Development”.
You mentioned the Olympics: which of the events that took place this summer in Paris most affected you?
“The Olympic and Paralympic Games are the crowning moment of every sporting discipline. In Paris, I rejoiced over the victories of our Italian athletes, just as I admired the great dignity of those who came close to the podium, sometimes short by a few thousandths of a second or a few centimetres. But above all, I love the Olympics because I strongly believe in the values they embody – loyalty, respect for one’s opponent, spirit of belonging to one’s flag – and in the message of peace they convey”.
You have never hidden your black and white football loyalties: what do you think of Motta’s Juve?
“No, I guess it’s no secret… The team has shown very positive signals so far, but let’s keep our fingers crossed, it’s only the beginning! I think a time of renewal was necessary, Motta has the qualities to take the team forward”.
What type of championship do you expect?
“Inter undoubtedly remains the team to beat this season. But I believe there are at least five or six other teams that will be able to contend for the title: obviously Juventus and Milan, but also Napoli, Roma, Lazio and Atalanta, which has become a major player in the championship”.
What do you think of Luciano Spalletti’s latest results for Italy?
“Luciano Spalletti is a great coach, just look at his career and his victories. It is no coincidence that he sits on the most prestigious bench. Italy did not shine at the European Championships, there is no point in denying it. However, when you have to defend a title it is not always easy to live up to expectations. Nevertheless, the latest matches have shown that we do not lack quality and talent and that we can look to the next competitions with optimism. In short, I believe that Spalletti is the right choice: no wonder he also earned the title of ‘Ambassador of Italian Sport in the World’”.
On Sunday arrived the second Slam of Sinner, a true pride of Italy in the world.
“I believe that by now there are no more adjectives to praise Sinner…. And he is only 23 years old! At the US Open, but also throughout 2024, he proved to be the strongest and most complete tennis player right now. But Sinner is just the tip of the iceberg of a movement that in the last 10-15 years has made an incredible leap in quality thanks to the team and the leadership of President Angelo Binaghi. We should not forget that at Flushing Meadows Vavassori and Errani won the mixed doubles and that a few weeks earlier in Paris Italy won gold in the doubles with Errani and Paolini. Also, the Davis Cup won just under a year ago…”.
Let’s finish with the Giro d’Italia: how important is the pink race for our country and what more can it do?
“The Giro d’Italia is one of the most important international sporting competitions we have. It is an extraordinary showcase of Italy, its beauty, its territories and its sporting, entrepreneurial and cultural excellence. This is why we provided this race with a very important place in our sports diplomacy strategy, awarding it the title of ‘Ambassador of Sports Diplomacy’ and instructing our Embassies to enhance and promote it abroad. The partnership between the Italian Foreign Ministry and the Giro d’Italia proves that sport is an incredibly effective tool for making Italy known and promoting the country around the world”.
