Maurizio Clerici

Maurizio Clerici competed at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics in the coxless pairs rowing, alongside Alvaro Banchi. He was a multiple Italian rowing champion and twice finished fourth at the European Championships. Clerici studied architecture at the University of Palermo, graduating in 1955. He became an architect, specializing in the design of sports structures. Clerici was responsible for designing many of the structures used at the 1960 Roma Olympics.

Clerici was known world-wide for sporting facilities, designing stadia in Riadh, Saudi Arabia; the Olympic velodrome and shooting ranges of Tehran; the 50,000 seat Iloriu stadium in Nigeria, and the Olympic City built in Tunisia to host the Mediterranean Games. He was a leader in the Centro Studi Impianti Sportivi of CONI, serving as its vice-president from 1966-80.

Clerici also served rowing as a referee and judge. He is considered responsible for the development of what was known as the Albano system of separating rowing courses into lanes, which was not done prior to 1959, and made its first appearance in canoe & kayaking at the 1960 Olympics. The innovation became known after the lake where it was first installed, Sistema di Albano.

He was also a national and international judge in sailing events. He served as a National Executive and a Federal Councilor from 1960 to 1968. Clerici was named an Honorary Member of the SC Florence and an Honorary Member of CC Roggero Di Lauria.