Alessandra Palazzotti, National Director of Special Olympics Italy, was awarded the Women's Sport Award 2017—Il Premio Donna Sport 2017—at the Antico Circolo del Tiro a Volo in April 2018 in Rome.
The prestigious award honored the tremendous commitment and dedication shown by Alessandra to using sport as a tool for unifying and integrating people with and without Intellectual Disabilities. Alessandra dedicated her award to Special Olympics and in particular those women who are the soul of the movement, primarily the athletes, but also their mothers, volunteers, coaches.
"I’m honoured to have received this prestigious award from Panathlon … I’m also proud to share it with thousands of women and men—our athletes—who teach me every day about determination, commitment, courage, constancy, and the desire to just show up and get involved."
Alessandra Palazzotti, National Director of Special Olympics Italy