Milan, Italy, September 22, 2018 – A short but very touching ceremony took place on Saturday night at Forum di Assago in Milan shortly before the start of the Pool E big match between Italy and Russia.
The President of the Italian Volleyball Federation, Mr Pietro Bruno Cattaneo, paid tribute to the late Vigor Bovolenta, a long-time member of the Italian national team, who prematurely passed away in 2012. Mr Cattaneo presented a shirt of the Italian team to Vigor’s son, Alessandro, displaying the no. 16, i.e. the very same number that Bovolenta wore for many years throughout a successful volleyball career.
Bovolenta was a silver medallist at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, as well as a double European champion (1995 and 1999) and four-time winner of the FIVB World League (1995, 1997, 1999 and 2000). Bovolenta passed away in 2012 at the age of 37 after suffering a heart attack. Son Alessandro is following his footsteps and playing volleyball himself – always wearing a shirt displaying his late father’s cherished no. 16.