The 2008 congress of Sportmeet, “Sport in–credibile – Set fraternity in motion”, from March 28-30 in Rome, presented sport as both credible and beautiful, far from the threat of violence, racism, doping, and over-commercialisation.

The challenge of fraternity in sport, and through sport, was issued by 420 sports enthusiasts from 38 countries from all five continents, through important life experiences, reports from international experts, round tables, workshops, and sports and games.

Among the many testimonies from sportsmen and women at all levels were those of Josefa Idem, Olympic canoeing gold medallist 2000, Ippolito Sanfratello gold medallist in Turin in 2006 in speed skating, Marco Pinotti, pink jersey in the “Giro d’Italia 2007”, Karl Unterkircher, high-altitude (8000m) climber, Nicolo’ Corradini orienteering world champion ‘94 ‘96 and 2000, and Hungarian Petra Treveli who finished third in the 2007 Milan Marathon.

Alongside them were people involved in the promotion of socially oriented sports projects in developing countries (Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Lebanon, Pakistan, the Philippines…), and animators of anti-Mafia and anti-Camorra peace education projects in Sicily and Campania. 

Teachers and students from 17 universities around the world, testified their commitment online at Sportmeet to develop and spread a new sporting culture, oriented to fraternity.