Stefano Pioli was handed the ‘Let’s Build Kindness in Sport Award’ ahead of Milan’s clash with Fiorentina, in part due to his enduring love of Davide Astori.
Five years ago today, Astori tragically passed away at the age of 31 following a cardiac arrest in his hotel room ahead of a Serie A clash with Udinese. His death touched everyone in the world of Italian football and Fiorentina retired his number 13 shirt in honour of their former captain.
Pioli was the coach of Fiorentina during this period and was greatly affected by Astori’s death, revealing that he still feels trauma over the incident years later.
A group of sports journalists in Tuscany – Ussi Toscana – and the Cor et Amor Association gave Pioli the ‘Let’s Build Kindness in Sport Award’ today at the Milan training camp, rewarding him for his human values and enduring love for Astori.
The Milan coach was handed the ambassador to kindness in sport shirt, which bears on the back a quote said by Pioli about Astori: “It is as if I had lost a point of reference.”
This award has previously been given to Empoli goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who welcomed and hosted a family that had fled the war in Ukraine, and Federica Cappelletti, the wife of Paolo Rossi who has been working on inclusion projects in sport.