RIP Gianni Minà

 

Gianni Minà, renowned Italian journalist, close friend of Diego Maradona and one of those who best understood him died.

He was 84 years old and died "after a short heart disease," they reported from his social networks.

 

infobae

March 27, 2023

The world of journalism is mourning the death of Gianni Minà, a historic Italian journalist and close friend of Diego Armando Maradona. Born in Turin, he was also a renowned writer and television presenter. He died a few weeks shy of his 85th birthday (born May 17, 1938).

"Gianni Minà left us after a short heart disease. He was never left alone and was surrounded by the love of his family and closest friends. Special thanks to Prof. Fioranelli and the staff of the Villa del Rosario clinic who gave us the freedom to say goodbye with serenity," was the publication that appeared on Monday on their social networks.

Gianni began his journalistic career in 1959 at the sports newspaper Tuttosport, where he was also director between 1996 and 1998. In 1960 Minà made his debut at Rai as a sports reporter for the Olympic Games in Rome. Five years later was his baptism in the renowned sports program Sprint, directed by Maurizio Barendson. At that time, his reports began to be very recognized. The same goes for his documentaries and feature films that marked an era on Italian TV at the time.

In 1981 Italian President Sandro Pertini presented him with the Saint Vincent Award for best television journalist of the year. Among his most memorable interviews are the one he did with Fidel Castro in 1987. Also the Dalai Lama, Jane Fonda, Franco Battiato, Massimo Troisi and Pino Daniele.

With Diego Armando Maradona and Pelé he had a very strong relationship. One of his images that has traveled the world was when he was portrayed smiling at a dinner in Rome with Muhammad Ali, Sergio Leone, Robert De Niro and Gabriel García Márquez. Among his most recognized documentaries are the one made to the figure of Che Guevara, Rigoberta Menchú, Subcomandante Marcos and Diego Maradona himself.

Gianni Minà became a great friend with Pelusa and even traveled to Argentina to witness his marriage to Claudia Villafañe. The Italian journalist was well known for achieving one of the deepest confessions of one of the greatest players of all time. He also accompanied him while the Argentine star carried out his rehabilitation in Cuba.

Throughout the career and the countless interviews with Diez, it can be said that Minà was one of those who best understood the character and the person Diego was.

Throughout the career and the countless interviews with Diez, it can be said that Minà was one of those who best understood the character and the person Diego was. In 2009 the prestigious French newspaper mentioned on its cover the unpublished interview that Gianni made to Maradona in May 2005.

In this interview, Pelusa reviewed his career, including a sensitive topic such as his problem with drugs and his weaknesses. In the article that was kept for more than two years, Diego said he never thought about killing himself because of his addiction. "In many moments of my life I felt pain for my mother, for my wife Claudia and my daughters. Sometimes, a newspaper said 'Maradona wants to kill himself'. That's not true. I think that whoever wants to kill himself is a coward who does not want to face life. And I agreed to face life."

In this sense, he assured that Dalma and Gianina were the engine of his life. "I've done things wrong, but everything I did right I did for my daughters. I never thought about killing myself or going crazy... I came out of my troubles for their sake." Diego confessed that he started drugs in Barcelona at the age of 22. "Why did you do it, Diego?" asked Minà. After a long pause, Maradona replied: "It is a disease that has made me lose a lot of time. In the beginning it was something that made me strong, that got me up from the chair. When it stopped being a diversion and became a nightmare, then I made the people who love me suffer a lot."

During the extensive interview, the subject of his second goal against England in Mexico 1986, considered the best of all time, came up: "It was the realization of a dream that accompanied me since I was a child ... I saw Shilton coming out desperately, waving his arms to distract me. I saw a defender trying to hit my foot. But it was too late, I already knew at that moment that I was going to score. No one could stop me anymore... I made a hamague to the side and there I understood that I was making the goal I dreamed of since I was a child, since before playing in my first team, since when we played our fun games in my neighborhood of Villa Fiorito. "

And he acknowledged: "It is true that I have not been a saint, but I have paid dearly for my excesses."

Gianni Minà gave details of the relationship he came to establish with Maradona. Andrea Scanzi published on his Facebook account these words of the historical journalist. Next, the most salient fragments.

"My relationship with Maradona has always been very frank. I respected the champion, the football genius, but also the man, about whom I knew I had no rights, just because he was a public figure and I was a journalist. That is why I believe that he has always respected my rights and my need, sometimes, to ask him trick questions. I know that modern communication often believes that it can have a sample, an artist just because his fame would force him to always say yes to the supposed needs of the journalistic and commercial media industry. Maradona, who has rejected this ambiguous logic many times, has been criminalized many times..."

"But no one, not President Ferlaino, not his comrades (who still adore him now) not journalists, not the Neapolitan public has ever had reason to doubt Diego's loyalty."

"So, ultimately, this way of behaving as an adult and as a child led him to overcome all the adversities and dangers – even those that seemed impossible – of his existence. From the dust of Villa Fiorito, in the province of Buenos Aires, where he began his adventure as the best footballer ever born, to the political militancy in the Latin American progressive parties for which he has given his face many times. No footballer has ever come this far. Diego, by an irony of fate, departed this world on the same day as another giant, Fidel Castro. In the end we will regret them, as happens to those who have left an indelible mark on the game of football and on life. And now silence. Its price for the world of football has been paid for a long time."

MINA, Gianni

Born: 5/17/1938, Turin, Piedmont, Italy

Died: 3/27/2023, Rome, Lazio, Italy

 

Gianni Mina’s westerns – documentary director, wirter:

Il ritorno di Zapata (1994

Once Upon a Time There was Cinema: Sergio Leone and His Films - 2014