A 1938 Italian Facist Roller Speed Skating Award in Case

White metal base with an inlayed bronze medallion, Fascist eagle sport insignia at the top, bronze medallion at the bottom illustrating a male roller skating athlete on a road, flanked by free flowing ribbon banners, inscribed in Italian "A FREDDY RENKEWITZ PRESIDENTE DELLA F.I.H.P. LA FEDERAZIONE ITALIANA HOCKEY E PATTINAGGIO ORGANIZZATRICE DEL 1o CAMPIONATO DEL MONDO DI PATTINAGGIO SU STRADA FERRARA = 15-20 SETTEMBRE 1938" (to Freddy Renkewitz, President of the F.I.H.P. (FIRS = FIPR) from the Italian Federation, for Organizing the 1st Road Speed Skating World Championship, Ferrara, September 15-20, 1938), very crisp detail, 72 mm x 115 mm, near very fine. Affixed to the raised presentation platform in its case of issue, case maker marked "S.A. PICCHIANI & BARLACCHI FIRENZE" on the inside lid, navy blue corduroy medal bed, scuffed and stained exterior, case near fine. Footnote: The Federation Internationale de Patinage a Roulettes (FIPR = International Federation of Roller Sports) was formed in 1924 as an international sport organization to conduct roller hockey competitions between the few national federations which were already engaged on an informal basis in such competitions in western Europe. This fundamentally hockey oriented group was originated in Montreux, Switzerland in April of 1924 by two Swiss sportsmen, Fred Renkewitz and Otto Myer, who had close ties to the International Olympic Committee. Myer was IOC Chancellor. Four European countries were represented at this meeting: Switzerland, Great Britain, Germany and France. The first President of the FIPR was Fred Renkewitz, who served from 1924 until 1960. Immediately a plan was developed to hold a European Championships in England, on April 10, 1926. England was then the dominant power for Rink Hockey, the British having organized this sport on a national level since before WWI. The 1926 championships had six countries participating, which included the addition of teams from Belgium and Italy. The first World Championship was organized by the FIPR was for Rink Hockey (Ball and Cane) in 1936, hosted by Stuttgart, Germany. At the insistence of it growing number of member nations, the next world championship was conducted in 1937 in Monza, Italy for Roller Speed Skating on the Road. In 1938 a FIPR World Championship was held in London, England for Track Roller Speed Skating and in Ferrara, Italy for the 1st Road Speed Skating World Championship, as per the medal presented for sale here. Under the Presidency of Victoriano Oliveras de la Riva of Spain (1964 to 1973), the FIPR changed its name to Federation Internationale de Roller Skating (FIRS) in the mid 1960's to become officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the international governing body for all roller skating. The Federation Internationale de Roller Sports (FIRS = International Federation of Roller Sports) is the world governing body for roller sports, including rink hockey, inline hockey, inline speed skating and artistic roller skating. The FIRS gathers almost one hundred national federations, including countries from every continent and they are affiliated with the International Skating Union.