A special event took place at Allianz Cloud today, just before the start of the Milano Premier Padel P1 finals. Padel once again confirmed its status as an inclusive sport with an exhibition event featuring football legends Demetrio Albertini and Esteban Cambiasso, along with Alessandro Ossola, a Paralympic athlete committed to promoting inclusive padel, and Lorenzo Liverani, another top athlete in the discipline. The match was a no-score affair, but it was important for promoting the commitment to welcoming all types of athletes and spreading a sporting spirit that goes beyond on-field performance. The head-to-head between the two teams (Albertini and Ossola on one side, Cambiasso and Liverani on the other) drew applause from the stands and more than a few laughs, given the exchanges of words, as well as play, between the match’s protagonists.
“It was an important day. Being here is a bit like being at the Champions League of padel, so we are happy and honored”, said Turin-born Ossola, founder of the Inclusive Padel Tour, a project that brings disability to the courts. “We are happy that our work has been appreciated at this level. Now we want to make the inclusive padel circuit even more international: we already have players from Spain, France, Switzerland, Chile, and the United Arab Emirates. The movement is growing and we want to internationalize it even more. We dream big, and we aim to play in a tournament as important as this one ourselves”.
“Today’s event is proof that there are no limits in sport, we put them on ourselves, but the mental strength we have as human beings is incalculable”, said Cambiasso. “It is very important to highlight what these athletes do”. “Padel is a young sport and many people still don’t know its potential”, added Albertini. “It is essential to let people know that it is one of the most inclusive sports, perfect for people with disabilities”.
Also on the court, alongside Ossola, Liverani, and the football “legends,” were Marcos Cambronero and Iñaki Rampérez, wheelchair padel champions, in this case accompanied by Pippo Galliano and Roberto Punzo, other specialists in the discipline.
