EleBocconi 2021: The Sport Committee Debate

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On April 15th, Annachiara Candeo and Leonardo Lotto took part in an online debate event as candidates for the Sport Committee representative position. In a heated discussion, the two candidates discussed issues ranging from event and support team organisation to medical certificate accessibility and functionality of the new Recreation Center. 

With the Bocconi elections just around the corner, the representatives for the Sport Committee recently had their time to shine! On April 15th, Annachiara Candeo and Leonardo Lotto took part in an open online debate on the Bocconi TV YouTube channel. Annachiara, representing TEAM, is a 3rd year student at CLEAM and a massive sport enthusiast.

Leonardo, representing B.Lab, is also a 3rd year CLEAM student, who has been the class and course representative for three and two years respectively. He plays for the Pellicani team and is the captain of the basketball team. Having briefly presented themselves, the two candidates took part in a debate moderated by Giada Veronesi. Here’s all you need to know:

Since both candidates seek to engage more students in sports activities, what are their main ways to achieve this goal?

According to Annachiara, Bocconi needs to make the student population more aware of what the university can offer them. Many don’t know that there are so many sports teams and events. Hence, she’d like to create a community of people who see sports as their main hobby and thus can establish a strong network among themselves. To achieve this, Annachiara wants to organise more sport team events as well as merchandising opportunities.

During the discussion, Leonardo proposed the idea of reintroducing sports days twice a year. According to him, such events are an important instrument in helping people know each other better. Leonardo says that we mustn’t forget that Bocconi is a business school and hence we could increase our skills of sports management. More tournaments among classes and residences is crucial for the community. He also believes that introducing activities like yoga, meditation and running teams would benefit the community and help people network better.

When responding to Leonardo, Annachiara noted that it is crucial to ensure that everyone feels welcome in the community. She agreed on reintroduction of 2 sports days a year but also noted that it would be crucial to invite important people who could bring more visibility as well as introduce new activities like ping pong tournaments.[Text Wrapping Break]

What new activities and events would they propose?

Leonardo noted that the new Recreation Center which now includes a pool and an athletic track will allow to take part in sports like water polo and swimming for both: professionals and amateurs. He also proposed the idea of introducing more light sports like ping pong and badminton, which would give more opportunities in the future.

In response, Annachiara noted that while she loves the idea of water polo, we must first find out if we can even start such activities, as it’s unclear to what extent these services will be accessible. She noted the need to reorganise teams, indicating that not all sports clubs out here are as strong as the basketball team. Hence, Annachiara pointed out the need to have more technical staff and better medical organisation which would allow to empower more sports teams.

Both candidates have discussed cheerleading, introduction of mascots and support teams. What are their thoughts on it?

Annachiara said that having support teams is as important as organising the event itself. This way students can be brought closer together, yet the hard part lies in finding someone willing to take responsibility for it. One way to achieve a better sense of community would be gaining greater presence on the Bocconi website and U@B agenda, as that would make sports teams and events more visible, hence attracting more people.

According to Leonardo, it is definitely possible to make the sports community a reality. He notes that majority of matches will be held at the Rec Center, making it easier to compete with foreign business schools and gather more support. When responding to Annachiara, he noted that Bocconi sports team was creating a new website that could be made accessible at U@B via widgets.

What are their thoughts on collaborating with the media center?

Leonardo said that the media center is crucial in creating a community that loves sport. He would like to have more media visibility, by e.g. having Tra i Leoni write commentaries on matches.

Annachiara responded by saying that having a good network with all associations in Bocconi is key. She believes that commentaries and broadcasting of events would be great for the welfare of Bocconi sports teams.

One on one discussion

As the debate was coming to an end, the candidates were allowed to have a one on one discussion by asking questions on matters of great personal importance. Leonardo started the discussion by saying that he was considering making free student entrances for some reserved time slots. He pointed out the controversial topic of medical assistance, saying that Bocconi has partnerships with many institutions that allow competitive teams to get free medical certificates or bring discounts to other sports enthusiasts. Annachiara responded by saying that it’s crucial to extend the accessibility of medical certificates to everyone, as it would reduce costs for students and would make the status quo conditions more convenient.

At the end of the day, the two candidates – Annachiara Candeo and Leonardo Lotto – presented their views and expected reforms if they were elected to represent the Sports Committee. With topics ranging from event organisation to medical certificate accessibility, it is only the Bocconi students who can decide on the winner and the future of our university’s sports teams – so don’t forget to cast your vote!