We are in 1964 in Innsbruck, during the Winter Olympics.
Eugenio Monti, known as The Flying Redhead, was an Italian skier who competed professionally in the championship circuit before switching over to the bobsleigh. The Winter Olympics in Innsbruck in 1964 was the year the sporting world believed the Italians would finally take gold. However, fate had other plans for Monti and his teammate. After learning that the British bobsledders broke their sled and needed a bolt, Monti lent them the part only to have the British pair of Robin Dixon and Tony Nash run a spectacular time and claim the gold. Monti and his partner were shocked by the turn of events and ultimately ended up with a bronze medal, but they never felt that the bolt made the difference. And if that weren’t enough to cement Monti’s legacy as a true sportsman, he also lent parts to the Canadian bobsled team, who would also go on to win the gold in the four-man race. For his efforts, Monti was awarded the Pierre de Coubertin medal, the most important sportsmanship award in the world.
We hope this story of #FairPlay and #Solidarity could be an inspiration to the sportsman and sportswoman of the future.