Official from Italy to streamline efforts supporting Flying Disc National Federations to establish NOC relations
The World Flying Disc Federation (“WFDF”) is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has appointed Michele Barbone of Italy as its Director of NOC relations. The Italian, having presided over several National Federations in Italy, will support WFDF national member federations to establish contacts with their National Olympic Committees (NOCs) within their territory as they aspire to receive NOC recognition or membership.
“I cannot imagine any better-suited person than Michele Barbone to serve in the capacity of WFDF Director of NOC relations. With his tremendous expertise in sports leadership in relation to the NOC of Italy (CONI) and the ICMG (International Committee of the Mediterranean Games), Michele will be a great asset to help our National Federations foster NOC relations,” commented WFDF President Robert “Nob” Rauch. “This is certainly another major step to help our members achieve NOC recognition and supporting WFDF’s Olympic and other multi-sports games ambitions for the future.”
Michele Barbone said, upon confirmation of his appointment “I am particularly pleased about the appointment and in accepting the assignment I would like to thank President Robert “Nob” Rauch and the entire board of WFDF. I assure all my full commitment to the promotion of Flying Disc, starting with the countries of the Mediterranean Basin.”
Michele Barbone, who was elected as Mediterranean Flying Disc Federation (MFDC) President recently, served within CONI for over a decade and presided over several National Federations in Italy, namely the Dance Sport and E-Sport Federations, and serving in other leadership capacities within the CONI and the sport of Orienteering.”
Michele Barbone has always dedicated himself to the world of sports, at first as a sports club manager, then as a federal executive, and most recently as an executive of the Italian Olympic Committee. Having followed the complete path of a sports manager with a long and varied experience that allowed him to know in detail the peculiarities and specificities of the various sports disciplines, as well as the problems of sports associations and clubs, he from now on will support the sport of Flying Disc. In May 2001 he was elected member of the National Board of the Italian Olympic Committee and was re-elected until 2008. Since September 2007, CONI has decided to set up its own Sports School in each CONI Regional Committee and entrusts its organizational coordination to Barbone. On 6 May 2009, the National Council of Coni elected Barbone for the third consecutive time member of the National Council of CONI for the four-year period 2008-2012 representing the CONI provincial structures.
Over the years, the special Honors Commission of CONI first awarded him the Bronze Star for Sporting Merit, then the Silver, and finally the Gold Star Medal for Sporting Merit in 1996. On the proposal of the then President of CONI Petrucci, Barbone was awarded by the Republic President Giorgio Napolitano of the Commander of the Italian Republic for sporting merits.
As Councilor for Sport, from 1987 to 1991, he undertook to promote the candidacy of the City of Bari to host the XIII Mediterranean Games. In June 1991, when the 1997 Games were assigned to the City of Bari, both the Italian Olympic Committee and the Italian Government deemed Barbone a suitable person to hold the delicate position of Secretary-General of the Organizing Committee of the Games, which subsequently took place regularly in June 1997, achieving considerable organizational and technical success.