Fabio Cannavaro, head coach of Uzbekistan’s national football team, has taken part in the Olympic torch relay in his hometown of Naples, CGTN reports.
The event also featured several prominent Italian athletes, including Olympic rowing champion Giuseppe Abbagnale and former footballer Ciro Ferrara, alongside other sports figures. Citywide celebrations were held in Piazza del Plebiscito, the largest square in Naples.
The relay will pause until December 26 for Christmas celebrations. A day earlier, on Dec. 23, the Olympic flame was carried through the ruins of Pompeii, with actor Jackie Chan among the participants. It marked his third appearance in an Olympic torch relay.
The 25th Winter Olympic Games will be held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo from February 6 to February 22. Around 3,500 athletes from more than 90 countries are expected to compete. The Italian Games will also see ski mountaineering included as an Olympic medal event for the first time.
