On 23 July the old Italian city of Castiglion Fiorentino hosted the formal ceremony of the XVIII International Fair Play Menarini Award. This prestigious award is granted to athletes who have followed the ethics of Fair Play during their professional sport careers. This year the Rector of the Russian International Olympic University Professor Lev Belousov made part of the jury of the Award.

14 acting and ex- athletes have received the Fair Play Menarini – 2014 Award.  The five-time Russian Olympic champion in synchronized swimming Anastasia Davydova - currently Secretary General of the Russian Olympic Committee – has won an award in the nomination "Sport and Life"  for her outstanding merit. Another award - "Life for Sport" - has been granted to the famous German athlete, Head of the IOC Athletes' Commission Claudia Bokel.

"It is extremely important today to praise athletes for their distinct dedication to ideals of sport and the Olympic movement. This is a right message for those who just start their sporting careers and strive for high performance which is in fact possible only through a fair play. Undoubtedly, Anastasia Davydova and Claudia Bokel embody the best examples of such a decent pathway. I am glad that our University has the experience of joint work with these distinguished athletes", - mentioned Lev Belousov.

On the picture: RIOU Rector Professor Lev Belousov; five-time Olympic champion, Secretary General of the Russian Olympic Committee Anastasia Davydova; Olympic medalist, Head of IOC Athletes' Commission Claudia Bokel – at the XVIII International Fair Play Menarini Award Ceremony.