Reda Maher
Eurosport
November 28, 2008

Italy's Margherita Granbassi said she will give the mask with which
she won the foil bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics to the Dalai Lama.

She will make the gift when the Dalai Lama visits Prague in the Czech
Republic in a show of support for civil and political rights in Tibet.

"I hope that, in the same way it defended me from the attacks of my
opponents, it can symbolically defend him and his people from the
abuses they are suffering," she told the ANSA news agency.

Granbassi, 29, won the 2006 World Championships in the foil and
defeated team-mate Giovanna Trillini to win bronze in China this year.

The Chinese government attempted to suppress demonstrations and
athlete support for Tibet, who are embroiled in a battle over
sovereignty with China.