“Let’s go win!” The scream that concludes a pressing commentary. A release at the end of the feat of Antonio Rossi and Beniamino Bonomi, gold in k2 at the Sidney 2000 Games. Among the most famous sports pages of journalism by Giampiero Galeazzi. Long suffering from diabetes, he died at 75. “I lose a great friend,” says Antonio Rossi, a gold medalist in Australia, moved by the news. “I was very attached to him, I knew he was not well but the news of his death takes me by surprise, and makes me sick.”
Dead Giampiero Galeazzi, the memorable commentary on gold in Seoul by the Abbagnale brothers
Roman, born in 1946, with a degree in economics, before becoming a commentator he devoted himself to rowing. In 1967 he was Italian single champion. His imposing stature earned him the nickname of “steak”.
He himself told the genesis of this name, interviewed by Gazzetta dello Sport in 2019: «It was 1970. One day I had to go play a double tennis with Renato Venturini, who worked on the radio. I went to pick him up at the headquarters in via del Babuino and he introduced me to my colleagues in sport. I was tall and massive, so Gilberto Evangelisti came up with the phrase: Renà, who is this Bisteccone? ».
The carreer
Galeazzi joins Rai, first on the radio and then on television. Take part in Sunday Sports and then Wednesday Sports. In the Eighties he was also sent to the most important Serie A matches. From ’92 to ’99 he led the 90th minute and participated in the running of the Sanremo festival with Pippo Baudo. it was 1996. Rai was also sent for the Reykjavik meeting between Gorbachev and Reagan.
His last television appearance dates back to three years ago on Domenica In.
Dead Giampiero Galeazzi, the unforgettable interview with Banfi-Canà in the cult “The coach in the ball”
Panatta: “We were very friends”
“Every now and then I played some jokes on him, he ventured into a technical disquisition. At that time I was saying no to him with my head on purpose », laughs Adriano Panatta, a former tennis player, considered one of the best players ever. «He, very good, immediately changed his version. I then told him I was joking. This was a lot of fun. “A solid professional relationship and friendship binds the champion to Galeazzi:” I remember he was doing commentary when I was still playing. When we started doing them together they were perhaps less technical and schematic than today, certainly much more human, as he was. I’m so sorry, I knew she wasn’t well. We were very friends with Giampiero. With him I have only good memories, so happy, funny. He was a crazy professional, he came to do the commentary very well prepared, he knew everything “
The wave of affection on social media for Giampiero Galeazzi
“I am speechless, we have shared years on the sports stage”, says Giuseppe Abbagnale, president of the Federcanottaggio and protagonist and gold medalist at the Seoul Games ’88, together with his brother Carmine. A victory, of course, told live by Galeazzi: «We were with his daughter a few days ago, we talked about him, I was very happy that he was recovering, but this news arrives. The historical voice of rowing leaves, as well as a friend, a prepared and engaging character. This news has left me truly disconcerted, words fail me ».
When he gave the microphone to Maradona
“A distant friend. I was lucky enough to be next to him in the most important moments of his and my career in Rai. A football man, the best, the strongest ever. We were friends, we often went to eat pizza in Naples in the best restaurants, in Mergellina. He often made a noise to me and every now and then he told me that ca … you said the other time on the broadcast, Giampiero ». This is how Galeazzi spoke of Maradona, remembering him in November 2020, the month of the death of the Argentine goalscorer.
Giampiero Galeazzi died when he gave the microphone to Maradona in the Napoli locker room
His commentary for the Napoli scudetto victory is famous: «I will never forget – said Galeazzi – in the Napoli locker room, the day of the club’s first scudetto in 1987. I had the intuition to give the microphone to Maradona. It turned into a show, with Diego starting to interview all his teammates ».
On social media the condolences of colleagues: “How many laughs with Giampiero” writes Clemente Mimun, director of Tg5. “Vincenzo (Mollica, ed.) Told me when a flic tried in vain to block steccone (who could not find the pass) at Roland Garros”.
Valentina Vezzali, fencing champion and undersecretary to the presidency of the Council with responsibility for sport, also greets the reporter: «Hello Giampiero! Thank you for having lived the sport as an athlete first and then as a journalist. The memories of many blue emotions are linked to your voice, full of enthusiasm and passion. I am sure that tonight the Olympic Stadium will also be able to remember you for how you deserve “
The farewell of Lazio
«Giampiero’s Lazio faith was known to all, but it was never out of line. In a recent interview with Rai, tired but never surrendered to the disease, he said a simple and extraordinary sentence: «Under the same sky, under the same flag. C’mon Lazio. In that sky now one more star shines ». Thus the president of Lazio, Claudio Lotito, remembers the sports reporter. He never made any secret of his Biancoceleste football faith. «The Lazio Sports Society, with all its athletes and fans, mourns the death of Giampiero Galeazzi. A figure inextricably linked to Italian sport: first as a victorious athlete, then as a passionate commentator and an acute and competent journalist.