Five new members, including volleyball player Samuele Papi were inducted into Italy’s Walk of Fame on Monday. The group raises the tally of Walk of Fame members to 117. An inaugural group of 100 was revealed in 2015.
Each inductee is represented with a name plate along Via Olimpiadi, the road leading to the Olympic Stadium in Rome. Alongside Papi in the 2018 class are former AC Milan captain and Italian national soccer team Paolo Maldini, swimmer Massimiliano Rosolino, middle distance runner Luigi Beccali and cyclist Ercole Baldini.
Samuele Papi – Walk of Fame plaque
Giovanni Malago, president of the Italian Olympic Committee was in attendance at the ceremony among other dignitaries.
For his part, Papi was a member of the Italian men’s national team from 1993 to 2012, representing the Azzurri at four Olympic Games, earning silver in 1996 and 2004 and bronze in 2000 and 2012. The outside hitter also was a member of Italy’s world champion teams in 1994 and 1998 and three European Championship teams (1995, 1999 and 2003). He also secured five gold medals on the World League stage (1994, 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2000).
In the club ranks, Papi played for Pallavolo Falconara (1990-94), Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo (1994-98), Sisley Treviso (1998-2011) and LPR Piacenza (2011-17).
In his career, Papi earned 2003 European Championship Best Receiver and 2004 FIVB World League Best Spiker honors. Nationally, the 44-year old garnered Knight’s Order of Merit in 2000 and Officer’s Order of Merit in 2004.
Photos from Monday’s ceremony can be found here.
Two volleyball related individuals are already in the Walk of Fame: former Italian players/coaches Lorenzo Bernardi and Andrea Giani.
. @PapiSamuele da lunedì nella Walk of Fame del @Coninews
La news ?https://t.co/9PbXlYqHOe pic.twitter.com/ra855E54Qb— Federvolley.it (@Federvolley) March 10, 2018
Ieri è stata una giornata davvero speciale al #ForoItalico!
La #WalkofFame si è arricchita di altre 5 stelle che hanno fatto la storia dello sport azzurro!
⭐ Luigi Beccali ?♂️
⭐ Ercole Baldini ?♂️
⭐ Paolo Maldini ⚽
⭐ Samuele Papi ?
⭐ Massimiliano Rosolino ?♂️ pic.twitter.com/mRtNnGGKN9— Foro Italico (@ForoItalico) March 13, 2018
. @PapiSamuele nella #WalkofFame dello #sport italiano ⭐?? ?
L'ex #azzurro è stato rappresentato dal Presidente federale Pietro Bruno Cattaneo?ph. @Coninews /Mezzelani#LaNazionale pic.twitter.com/7YeGjz0xu3
— Federvolley.it (@Federvolley) March 12, 2018
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