“There has been no formal contact from the Ministry, much less any written act. Even if the news seems tasty, it is unfounded”: this is what sources from the Ministry of Culture after a highly reputable American gossip site, tmz, had spoken of discussions with the Italian Government to host the Colosseum the wrestling duel between Elon Musk e Mark Zuckerberg for which the two tech magnates have "challenged" each other, although it is not clear to what extent and whether it is just a provocation.
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To support the idea of a 'gladiatorial' duel in theFlavian Amphitheatre the tweet has arrived with which Musk said “there are chances that it will be done at the Colosseum”Tesla's patron practiced in his youth judo and the number one of Meta is an expert in jujitsu and there would have also been contact with Dana White, the president ofUltimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to organize the challenge.
From June 22nd, the day on which Musk he threw down the gauntlet to his rival for a match in an MMA ring (initially there was talk of Las Vegas), the story has been blown out to the point that bets are being made and there is talk of two coaches, George St Pierre for Musk and Read Friedman for the founder of Facebook.
Musk vs. Zuckerberg…at the Colosseum? MiC’s denial
“The Colosseum has been granted, and has been for some time now, for high-profile paid events, almost always for charity purposes”, they remember from MiCs, “each request is carefully evaluated by the management of the Archaeological Park which verifies its compatibility for the purposes of protecting the site and is not the responsibility of the political body”.
The fact that the mere mention of the Colosseum made the exchange of jokes go viral, they observe Ministry, "it is yet another demonstration that the Italian cultural heritage is at the center of global interest. If Zuckerberg and Musk wanted to perform in the Colosseum they should create a challenge that ends with a hug. And maybe a sort of 'certamen' would be better, a duel with Latin verses. And they should ensure a suitable economic contribution to be donated to the protection of Italian historical-artistic assets and perhaps a quota to Emilia Romagna".
There is a small modern precedent of martial arts at the Colosseum and it is cinematic: in 1972 Bruce Lee e Chuck Norris they shot a scene of 'Chen's Scream Terrorizes the West Too' in which they fought in the galleries of the Roman amphitheater. The images, however, had been filmed in a studio in Hong Kong and then superimposed on a fake background with the Roman amphitheater, after the trip to the Eternal City, despite the authorization obtained from the Superintendency, had been discarded for economic reasons.
The PD attacks: “Musk and Zuckerberg at the Colosseum? Ridiculous initiative”
Also commenting on the fact was the PD. “The MiC’s response to the news of an alleged formal contact and even an invitation from the government for a ‘bare-handed’ challenge inside the Colosseum between the two tech magnates, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, is quite surprising. The press release released in the last few hours still contains a basic ambiguity that refers to duels using Latin with a suitable contribution to the protection of artistic heritage that does not give us much hope”.
“Do they really think they are selling off our heritage like this? The Colosseum is granted for high-profile paid events, almost always for charitable purposes, compatible with the protection of the site and respect for this extraordinary heritage. The promotion of the Colosseum cannot be achieved through questionable initiatives that are incompatible with the value and decorum of the site. Italy's cultural heritage deserves respect and attention. It would be truly indecent and unacceptable if the government were to lend itself to such an operation. The protection of our cultural heritage certainly does not need questionable and ridiculous initiatives”, conclude the PD members of the Chamber's culture commission in a note.
Article published on 1 July 2023 - 13:57
