Roberto Bernabai, an icon of sports journalism at La7, has died. He was 70 years old
He died on the night of Wednesday 21 October at the age of 70. During his career, he covered three FIFA World Cups, three European Championships and the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games
Following the recent passing of Elena Pero, the world of sports journalism is forced to bid farewell to another of its greats: Roberto Bernabai, who died on the night of Wednesday 21 October at the age of 70. A journalist, commentator and presenter of the news programme on ‘La7’, Bernabai leaves behind a career spanning fifty years dedicated to football and the world of sport in general.
Born in Rome in 1956, he began his career contributing to various magazines, before going on to become a radio commentator and presenter for television stations in the Lazio region. In 1990, he joined the sports editorial team at ‘Telemontecarlo’ (TMC). For six seasons, alongside Francesco Izzi, he was one of the commentators for Spanish La Liga matches broadcast live on TMC2 and TMC, partnering with Giancarlo De Sisti. He also presented sports news bulletins and sports programmes for Telemontecarlo, which later became LA7. Bernabai covered, both as a correspondent and a commentator, three editions of the FIFA World Cup – 1990, 1994 and 1998 –, three European Championships – 1992, 1996 and 2000 – and the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. In early 2000, he presented ‘Area Gol’ for a couple of years; the programme was broadcast before and after Serie A matches, as well as the pre- and post-match studio segments for the UEFA Cup.
The editorial team at LA7 remembers him as a ‘point of reference’, not only for his professionalism, but also for the sort of man he was: ‘courteous, honest, old-fashioned, in the most respectable sense of the word’.
