Ghent 2026: host city of the 23rd Panathlon International Congress, the 52nd General Assembly and the Jacques Rogge Award ceremony
From 4 to 7 June 2026, the charming city of Ghent will host the 23rd International Congress, the 52nd Ordinary and Extraordinary General Assembly and the Panathlon International Jacques Rogge Award ceremony.
This is a major event for the Panathletic movement, which will bring together delegates and representatives from numerous countries to celebrate 75 years of Panathlon International and discuss issues relating to sport, ethics and sporting culture.
The proceedings will take place at the Scala Event Centre, a modern conference facility that is easily accessible and equipped with affiliated hotels.
The International Congress will open on the afternoon of Thursday 4 June with the first session and will continue the morning of 5 June. In the afternoon participants will move to Ghent City Hall for the institutional reception and the Jacques Rogge Award ceremony, followed by a dinner in the historic city centre.
Saturday 6 June will be dedicated to the 52nd Ordinary and Extraordinary General Assembly of Panathlon International with proposals to amend the PI Statute. If necessary, the Extraordinary Assembly may continue Sunday 7 June.
The day will conclude with the Communication Award, celebrations for the 75th Anniversary of PI and the Gala Dinner.
Links for reservations and further details will be announced shortly.
The event promises to be an important moment of gathering and celebration for the international Panathletic community. We look forward to seeing you there!
XXIII Panathlon International Congress “Panathlon International: 75 Years Inspiring Unity Through Sport”
Save the Date!
4th - 5th June 2026
Ghent (Belgium)
XXIII Panathlon International Congress
“Panathlon International: 75 Years Inspiring Unity Through Sport”
Fair Play Awards return to Italy for Milano Cortina 2026
Fair Play Awards return to Italy for Milano Cortina 2026, 62 years after first honour
With Milano Cortina 2026, the Fair Play Awards will spotlight standout acts of sportsmanship, integrity and solidarity from the Olympic Winter Games. Here’s how to submit your vote.
Read the article and vote!
Votes can be submitted via this dedicated link:
22nd ColleMar-athon
ColleMar-athon, in collaboration with Panathlon International, presents the International Marathon and Half Marathon Championships as part of the 22nd ColleMar-athon, which will be held on 3 May 2026.
Click on the link to visit the website.
https://www.collemar-athon.com/
Milan, AI meets Olympism: ethics, innovation and values at the heart of the debate for Milan Cortina 2026
MILAN, 12 February 2026 - How can we manage the delicate relationship between artificial intelligence, ethics and the Olympic movement? How can we use technology responsibly, maintaining a firm commitment to Olympic values while exploiting AI in research, training and innovation in sport?
These are the questions at the heart of the International Symposium "Olympic Values and Artificial Intelligence", hosted at Palazzo Lombardia on the occasion of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The event was promoted by Panathlon International together with the International Society of Olympic Historians, the International Pierre de Coubertin Committee and the International Fair Play Committee, organisations committed to spreading Olympic culture and its founding principles.
Gary Rhodes (California State University, Dominguez Hills) moderated the proceedings, which were divided into three thematic panels:
• Sparks of Olympism: 'lighting up the future with Coubertin, artificial intelligence and education in Olympic values'
• Ethical and responsible artificial intelligence
• Preserving the past, enhancing the future: artificial intelligence and the public dissemination of Olympic heritage
International experts shared strategic visions and best practices, with valuable contributions from the heads of the IOC's AI Department and Ethics and Compliance Division, giving rise to a concrete and qualified discussion between technological innovation and institutional responsibility.
The human element remains central
One concept ran through all the presentations: AI should not replace athletes, but rather amplify fairness, inclusion and personalisation.
Even in popular sports such as football, the most realistic model remains a hybrid one: human referees supported by intelligent systems, capable of ensuring objectivity without sacrificing the excitement and unpredictability of the game.
Olympism is a timeless educational vision, while technology is a temporary tool that must be guided responsibly.
The challenge for our generation, it was emphasised in closing, is to ensure that Excellence, Friendship and Respect remain the compass that guides innovation.
"AI in sport does not replace the athlete, but amplifies fairness, inclusion and personalisation, always keeping the human element at the centre."
For Milano Cortina 2026, the message is clear: the future of sport will be intelligent, but it must remain deeply human.
The event was included as part of the cultural initiatives of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation.
Panathlon International and the Erasmus+ MindFit VR project: a concrete commitment to the mental well-being of young athletes
Panathlon International continues its strong commitment to the Erasmus+ project "MindFit VR: Immersive Sports for Mental Well-being", a project funded by the European Union and aimed at promoting the mental well-being of young people in sport.
The project is coordinated by the Budapest Association for International Sport (BAIS) (Hungary), in collaboration with Deneyimsel Eğitim Merkezi Derneği (DeM) (Turkey) and Panathlon International, reflecting a strong framework of international cooperation.
On 13 February 2026, an important online focus group was held, bringing together Panathletes and sports stakeholders from various European countries. The meeting, moderated by Fabio Figueiras, was a valuable opportunity to gather experiences and reflections on the challenges young athletes face today, including pressure to perform, social and family expectations, and the increasingly significant impact of social media. Simona Callo, Secretary General, spoke at the meeting, and Monica Rossi participated on behalf of the General Secretariat, confirming the institutional attention and support for the project.
The difficulty of balancing sport, school and private life also emerged strongly, elements that make greater emotional support essential. In this context, MindFit VR is an innovative tool that can complement the central role of coaches and families through immersive technologies that help young people develop emotional awareness, resilience and self-confidence. The aim is to create a simple, accessible and multilingual toolkit that can be integrated into everyday sporting life.
This collaboration is also an important sign of Panathlon International's ability to operate in international networks, actively participating in European projects alongside a wide range of different sports organisations. This commitment strengthens the Association's role as an authoritative partner in international programmes and as a promoter of shared best practices.
Heartfelt thanks to the protagonists who contributed to the success of the focus group:
• Barbara Rossi (Panathlon Club of Pesaro, IT)
• Juliane Robra (Panathlon Club of Geneva, CH)
• Teresa Rocha (Panathlon Club of Lisbon, PT)
• Otto Frühbauer (Panathlon Club of Kärnten, AT)
• Lore Vanden Berghe (Panathlon Belgium, BE)
Their contribution represents a significant step towards a more people-oriented sport, strengthening the educational role of sport and supporting the mental wellbeing of the younger generation.
#PanathlonInternational #ErasmusPlus #MindFitVR #Sport #MentalWellbeing #YoungPeople #Panathlon #DigitalWellbeing #MentalHealthInSport
MindFit VR officially launched in Budapest
Panathlon International, represented by Fábio Figueiras and Barbara Rossi, took part in the Kick-Off Meeting of the Erasmus+ project MindFit VR, held on 9 January 2026 in Budapest.
The meeting marked the start of a European partnership focused on strengthening mental well-being, emotional resilience, and inclusion in sport through innovative Virtual Reality (VR) tools.
During the meeting, Panathlon International highlighted its strong commitment to ethics, youth education, and mental health in sport, and actively contributed to discussions on how VR can complement traditional sport activities in addressing isolation, stress, and psychological
challenges among young people.
The project now enters its needs assessment phase, which includes a questionnaire addressed to youth workers, coaches, and young people. The results will directly shape the development of practical VR-based tools and activities to be implemented across Europe.
Your contribution matters: please take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire via the link below and help shape the future of mental well-being in sport.
Panathlon International at the Erasmus+ Sport Info Day – Brussels
Panathlon International was represented in Brussels at the Erasmus+ Sport Info Day, a key European event bringing together policymakers, institutions, and sport organisations to discuss the future of sport in Europe and the priorities of the Erasmus+ Sport programme. Panathlon International was represented by Fábio Figueiras, responsible for Erasmus+ projects and member of the CCSE of Panathlon International.
The event opened with a high-level round table moderated by Sophie Beernaerst (EACEA) and featuring European Commissioner Glenn Micallef, responsible for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, alongside representatives of the European Parliament and national sport authorities. Discussions highlighted sport as a public good and a powerful tool for inclusion, health prevention, education and social cohesion, with grassroots sport identified as the foundation of the European Sport Model.
A key message was the strong demand for Erasmus+ Sport funding: only 13–14% of applications are currently supported, despite the high quality of projects submitted. This underlines both the competitiveness of the programme and the importance of well-structured, values-based initiatives.
During the event, Panathlon International also had the opportunity to exchange directly with Commissioner Glenn Micallef, presenting the organisation’s mission and ongoing work in ethics, integrity, education and sport values. The Commissioner was informed that he will receive a formal invitation to attend Panathlon International’s Congress in 2026.
The Info Day also marked the first public presentation of the preliminary results of the EU consultation on the European Sport Model, reaffirming principles such as sporting merit, solidarity between elite and grassroots sport, good governance, volunteering and community engagement.
Alongside the institutional sessions, Panathlon International strengthened its international network through meetings with sport federations, NGOs, innovation hubs and academic institutions from across Europe, further reinforcing its role as a trusted partner in European sport projects.
Panathlon International remains fully committed to contributing to a values-based, inclusive and ethical sport ecosystem in Europe, in line with the objectives of Erasmus+ and the European Sport Model.
Foundation meeting: 2025 activities and 2026 programs presented
The Foundation meeting convened for Monday, December 1, at 6:00 p.m. (CEST) was held via videoconference on the Zoom platform. The meeting, chaired by President Giorgio Chinellato, was attended by all members of the Board of Directors and Auditors Nardon and Minchillo.
The agenda included communications from the President and Secretary, the presentation of activities carried out in 2025, and projects planned for 2026.
Looking to the near future, the Foundation confirmed its commitment in several areas: it will participate in a Panathlon International project dedicated to the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics, contribute to the Italian edition of Yves Vanden Auweele's book Joy and Pain in Sport, and evaluate meaningful ways to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its activities. The planned initiatives also include the creation of new graphic design competitions, developed with new methods and designed to actively involve all clubs through the Panathlon International districts, with the hope of greater dissemination and participation in the activities promoted by the Foundation.
The meeting ended on a constructive note and with a shared desire to make the most of the initiatives planned for the new year.
Webinars organized by the PI Culture, Research, and Education Commission
the 4th webinar organized by the PI CCRE took place on Monday, November 24.
After the opening by President Antonio Bramante, who moderated the meeting, PI President Giorgio Chinellato spoke to bring the official greetings of Panathlon International, thus starting the proceedings.
The theme of the webinar, “Teaching Fair Play in Schools: Challenges, Opportunities and Goals,” offered an interesting overview of the experience of the Panathlon Club Wallonie-Bruxelles.
The first speaker was Kole Gjeloshaj, President of the Club, who illustrated the important work carried out in the region, involving around 200 schools in the promotion of Fair Play. This was followed by Kathleen Monseu, General Coordinator of the Club, who elaborated on the various initiatives. The last speaker was François Poull, Panathlete and Head of the Physical Education Department at the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, as well as the creator of Poullball, a new inclusive sport suitable for everyone.
The International President emphasized the importance of these initiatives, which represent virtuous examples to be shared and potential models for other Clubs. He also recalled that PI is promoting the project “Fair Play starts again at school,” developed by Panathlete Prof. Lazzizzera.