By Bernd Fisa
July 18 – New Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has lent his support to the Stefano Borgonovo Foundation set up after the former Italian international striker died in June 2013 several years after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a fatal disease which attacks the nervous system.
Last month, Stefano’s widow Chantal, who created the Foundation, was invited by Conte and the FIGC, the Italian Football Association, to attend the Italy-Spain match at the Euro Championships in Paris and she met Conte at his new London home at the weekend.
After an eight-year battle against the disease, Borgonovo lost his life at the age of 49 just a couple of hours before a Confederations Cup game between Spain and Italy in Fortaleza.
The Foundation is designed to help improve research into the causes and potential cures for ALS. Active supporters in the international football community who have voiced their support after being moved by Stefano’s story include Cristiano Ronaldo, Roberto Baggio, Carlo Ancelotti, Claudio Ranieri and Pep Guardiola.
Incredibly, Borgonovo managed to write his own autobiography called ‘Attacante nato’ (Born striker), despite only being able to make use of his eyes to control a computer. He was also a regular contributor to Italy’s sport paper Gazzetta dello Sport and the last article before he died was on Conte under the headline: ‘Conte you will become the number one among the managers’.
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