Marco Di Paola, President of the Italian Equestrian Sports Federation (FISE)
“We have made the only responsible, necessary decision. After consultations with our partner ‘Sport e Salute SpA’, with CONI, with the Municipality of Rome that hosts the event, and with our most important sponsors, we all agreed it should be cancelled. In these extremely difficult times we empathise with all the leading players globally, and all the different equestrian sectors of the wonderful world of equestrian sports. National priorities are now others. Piazza di Siena is without doubt a very high profile sporting event in the world of sport.It is also carefree, jovial moment that brings people together for both international and national sport, including the numerous and loyal public who come to watch this historical show. No one is in the right mood to begin preparations for this wonderful event, and we now prefer to deploy our energy towardsproviding support to overcome this grave time. Piazza di Siena deserves the very best, and at the moment we are unable to provide this. We are sad, but believe that this is the right choice.”
Giovanni Malagò, President of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI)
“Piazza di Siena is the pride of the equestrian world and the pride of the world of sport. Cancelling the 2020 show is yet another sad decision to be added to the many made recently involving the world of sport, and also some of the most important events in the world. Uncertainty and fear are sadly words often used at the moment but by definition are not linked to any athlete, let alone to riders and horses. Piazza di Siena is not only the stage for many champions, but also an immense cultural and architectural heritage for the city of Rome. As has been the case since the end of the 1920s, everything must be technically perfect for this show while fully respecting those value that together with the Italian Equestrian Sports Federation have always been our objective. It will certainly be even more so in the spring of 2021. In the meantime we will continue to look after and upkeep our outdoor jewel for this city and to ensure that champion horses and riders will soon rediscover that magical location so as to continue to create extraordinary pages of sport.”
Vito Cozzoli, President of Sport e Salute SpA
“From the very beginning of my new professional challenge in the world of sport, I rediscovered the special and almost magnetic atmosphere that has always impressed me in the relationship between this extraordinary sporting event involving riders and horses and the city that hosts it, reflecting its importance from a competitive perspective and that of the magnificence of Piazza di Siena. This relationship resulted initially in curiosity and enchantment, reinforcing the responsibility we all have at ‘Sport e Salute Spa’ to create a model event that on the one hand exalts competitions in that architectural jewel that is Piazza di Siena, while on the other contributes to supporting one of the main objectives of a sports event; these are also opportunities for people to meet, to valorise our cultural heritage with an event open to all those wishing to enjoy it. It is for this reason that it is so painful to have to cancel the international show held at Piazza di Siena, but there is an equally powerful desire to roll up our sleeves and start to work immediately on planning an even better show, if such a thing is possible, and to maintain a solid relationship with the city and its relevant institutions.”
Diego Nepi Molineris, Event Director
“The sadly inevitable cancellation of the Piazza di Siena CSIO does not mean only giving up an extraordinary sporting event, but also an opportunity for meeting people, for culture and socialisation in the magnificent backdrop of Villa Borghese, which this event has contributed to create in recent editions. At times in which our traditional reference points are missing, we are aware that this painful decision will not prevent us from meeting again in Piazza di Siena to enjoy sport. And that means daily sport as well as the great equestrian sport we are now responsibly forced to cancel. I am however certain that we will soon all be able to once again enjoy the beauty of Villa Borghese and the elegant welcome it extends to Romans and citizens from all over the world.”
Ph. Simone Ferraro / CONI
