At the Grimaldi Forum, cutting the ribbon on behalf of Italy were the “Golden Ball” stars Fabio Cannavaro and Andriy Shevchenko, who are busy with other football stars these days for the Givova Five Padel Cup.
For the Principality of Monaco, Louis Ducruet, nephew of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco and president of Barbagiuans Monaco, CEO Bsg and Padel Best Expo, cut the ribbon.
Padel champions, international football stars, great athletes and athletes on the field for the three days of meetings, matches, shows and entertainment in Monte-Carlo, with a tribute to Italian excellence: the first edition of Padel Best Expo, the international event scheduled until 9 April at the Grimaldi Forum that brings together the best in the sector with tournaments, clinics, talks on padel and health, new trends, innovation, and playing techniques, together with testimonials from the most famous players, has been inaugurated.
The ribbon was cut on behalf of the Principality of Monaco by Louis Ducruet, nephew of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco and President of the Barbagiuans Monaco – in the presence of Yvette Lambin-Berti, Secretary of State of Albert II and Mathilde Le Clerc, President of the Education, Youth and Sports Commission of the National Council of the Principality of Monaco – while for Italy the task was entrusted to two champions the ‘Ballon d’Or’ Fabio Cannavaro and Andriy Shevchenko, who together with Roberta Ceccarelli, CEO Bsg and Padel Best Expo, kicked off the event that celebrates the inclusiveness of padel with a strong focus on solidarity.
The ‘Autograph’ event for charity purposes saw the extraordinary participation of Andriy Shevchenko, who autographed 60 padel racquets, the proceeds from the sale of which will go to the Padel Best Expo’s Charity Partner, Football for Ukraine, of which the ‘Ballon d’Or’ is an Ambassador. “I am delighted to actively collaborate in the project,” said Andriy Shevchenko, “by joining efforts in support of important humanitarian causes. I think the spread of the sport of padel is a great vehicle to open a new front in raising awareness”. The other important Charity Partner of Padel Best Expo is the Association Fight Aids Monaco of which H.S.H. Princess Stéphanie of Monaco is President, which recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its foundation.
Five Padel Cup, in its second edition, is packed. The specially created courts inside and outside the Grimaldi Forum will be hosting these days professional athletes included in the world rankings from different countries, the best athletes in the world of wheelchair padel, players and young promises from clubs, the athletes of the women’s padel movement and many former football champions including, of course, Andriy Shevchenko, Dario Marcolin – Head of Networking Padel Best Expo, Gigi Di Biagio, Ciro Ferrara, Marco Borriello, Fabio Cannavaro, Nelson Dida, Sébastien Frey, Fabio Quagliarella, Fernando Orsi, Cristian Zaccardo, Paolo Cannavaro, Aron Mohammed Winter, and the Monaco Barbagiuans, an inclusive football team from the Principality. The technical direction of the Givova Five Padel Cup is entrusted to Roberto Agnini, technical director of the padel section of the Circolo Canottieri Aniene in Rome, with a high-level team for the development and direction of the five tournaments such as Saverio Palmieri, coach and pundit, and Italian champions Chiara Pappacena and Giorgia Marchetti, both Padel Best Expo Ambassadors.
At the same time, in the area dedicated to the culture of the sector, the Padel Forum, on the agenda are talks, workshops and meetings featuring the authoritative participation of experts, athletes, coaches, celebrities and companies, ready to offer added value to the exhibition with their contributions. Padel Best Expo will also feature the voice of international padel, Barbara Vitantonio, Official Speaker of the event and commentator of the FIP Rise Monaco and the Givova Five Padel Cup.
Networking is the watchword at Padel Best Expo and the Monaco gathering will also be attended by entrepreneurs and operators in the sector to showcase market novelties and trends with a tribute to Italy and the many realities that export the excellence of Made in Italy all over the world. Present to talk about new trends and innovation are, among others: Alessandro Moggi, President of EA7 World Legends Padel Tour, Angelo Massone the entrepreneur and innovator of Henoto SpA and L’Arsenale, representatives of the sponsoring companies Givova, Riflessi, Rizzardi and exhibitors such as Padel Galis, Padel Factory, Italian Padel (the latter owners of the padel courts installed at the Grimaldi), all productive realities that express excellence in their respective fields.
During the inaugural conference, Alessandra Locatelli, Minister for Disabilities of the Italian Republic, congratulated the participants on “having built an extraordinary and also inclusive event. Padel is already depopulating in many ways, but it is also doing so in many realities with people with physical, intellectual, sensory disabilities, it really lends itself to being an inclusive sport. It is an important step to hold competitions that highlight and enhance our athletes, including international ones, and give wheelchair athletes the chance to compete and prove how their value, their sporting competence, really is of the highest level. This makes us really proud”.
The conception, organisation, promotion and management of Padel Best Expo all made in Italy with Bsg, which with this event brings the padel universe to an international level, aiming straight at the enhancement of a constantly growing sector.
Roberta Ceccarelli, CEO Bsg and Padel Best Expo said: “Padel Best Expo is a great padel show with an international vocation. The project has been conceived to attract all the most qualified components of the sector and to share their sporting and professional experiences and experiences. Fun is the driving force behind the event and a great attractor to also bring light to the values of solidarity and the valorisation of international sporting and production excellence. The enthusiasm of all the protagonists of the first day, who belong to the world of padel in various capacities, is for us the clearest sign that we have worked in the right direction and now Padel Best Expo is before our eyes”.
