TERAMO. This year’s Interamnia Cup, the 51st in history, will not be even remotely comparable with the grand style and extra-large format edition of the fiftieth anniversary, which last year was accompanied by important entertainment events and sports other than handball and lasted two weeks. We will return to the classic time dimensions (one week, from 8 to 14 July) and the budget will be much lower than in 2023, also due to the heavy financial consequences left to the organizers by some contributions taken into account for the fiftieth anniversary but then never provided.
What was supposed to be the relaunch edition after the years of stoppage due to Covid, in short, has currently turned out to be a ball and chain for the Cup: yet another in a story as fascinating as it is fraught with difficulties. But things could soon change. Number 51 could be the last Interamnia with only private organization, because the turning point announced years ago by the D’Alberto administration finally seems to be arriving, namely the establishment of an institutional organizing committee, which – if it were to materialize effectively – would guarantee a certain and lasting future for the event. The patron of the great youth handball tournament, Pierluigi Montautiin this phase it is armored and, contacted by Center, postpone any interviews to the next few weeks. The municipal councilor for events is talking about the upcoming Cup Antonio Filipponiwho declares: «Interlocutions are underway between me, the sports councilor Alessandra Ferri and Montauti. In the meantime, we are waiting for an economic plan for the 2024 edition and a report on how many athletes and companions will actually arrive in the city to organize the welcome. The idea is to put the teams to sleep in the school gyms and no longer in the classrooms. The tournament matches, consequently, would all be played outdoors. The debt situation resulting from the fiftieth anniversary? We are aware of it. It certainly needs to be remedied, many operators who revolve around the Cup need to be paid. Looking further ahead, and already thinking about 2025, we are trying to create this institutional organizing committee that would guarantee the future of the event. It is not a simple thing: everything would change starting from the legal entity, because the current Interamnia is a private event. And then, in addition to the Municipality, various other entities must be involved: Region, Province, Chamber of Commerce, Handball Federation and associations”.
In short, it is a process of a certain complexity which cannot materialize before the 52nd edition. And which, in any case, will absolutely not lead to the ouster of Montauti and his staff. Filipponi is keen to clarify this, saying: «The patron would retain a central role, the institutional committee was not created to replace him and his collaborators but to guarantee certain support for the event. After all, it is impossible to think about the Cup without the relationships and contacts that Montauti has in the world of handball. He is the one who brings teams from all over the world to Teramo.” And, at least this is for sure, he will bring many again next July.
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