It's another sad day for Italian journalism. At the age of 84, journalist, writer and TV host Gianni Minà passed away last night in Rome. During his long and illustrious career, he reported on many of the most important sporting events, including seven Olympic Games and eight World Cups in Football. 

He was born in Turin in 1938 and learnt his trade in the newsroom of Tuttosport, where he would later become a Director in the mid-90's. In 1960, he started to work for Rai, making hundreds of news stories and investigative reports for programmes like Tv7, Dribbling, Gulliver, and L’altra domenica. He was a great follower of Football, Boxing and Latin America, in which he produced and made several books and documentaries about. He also interviewed many great sporting stars and celebrities over the last century, including Fidel Castro, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Diego Armando Maradona and Muhammad Alì.

“He was an intellectual journalist, and a deep follower of social issues and very passionate about Sport," remembered FIGC President Gabriele Gravina. "He dedicated his entire life to educating himself and reporting the true depths of humanity and its various sides with care and attention to detail, also in Football. We have lost a true gem."