THE MILITARY ATHLETES IN THE ITALIAN OLYMPIC TEAM

Walter BORGHINO Traduzione: Paolo Cappelli – Paola Allori

In Rio, a large team of he athletes of the Defence Olym- military athletes pic Team are finalising their from all 4 Services Tpreparation for the Rio 2016 XXXI Olympic Games, the first edition of will chase medals the games to be organised in South Amer- in several disciplines, ica. At present, 55 Defence athletes (their from to archery, number can vary before departure to Bra- from to rhythmic sil) have already obtained the “Olympic and artistic gymnastics, Pass” to compete against the best perform- from Olympic trap to ing athletes of 5 continents in an event precision shooting, that will be characterised by universality and many others. and excellence in performance more than ever. Two military athletes add to this Military athletes will try to Team, who will compete in the Paralympic repeat the results of the Games thereafter. In some disciplines, such London 2012 Olympics, as fencing, , precision where they won almost half shooting, Olympic trap, , and diving, of Italian medals. just to mention a few, a larger number of 18 “The Olympic Games are an opportunity for peace, friendship, loyalty, and compe- tition while respecting others”

With these words, Sergio Mattarella, President of the Italian Republic, welcomed the Italian athletes leaving for the Olympic and Paralympic Games of Rio de Janeiro at the Quirinale Presidential Palace on June 22nd, 2016. The Olympic Team was led by the President of the Italian National Olympic Committee, Mr. Giovanni Malagò and the President of the Italian Paralympic Committee, Mr. Luca Pancalli. The President handed over the national flag to the Italian swimmer Federica Pellegrini and the Paralympic athlete Martina Caironi, who will be the standard-bearers at the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Armed Forces Military Band marked the beginning and the end of the ceremony by playing the Italian National Anthem and the Olympic Anthem, respectively.

19 military athletes compete. But they are ed support, plus the promotion of sports at well posed to achieve good results in all large. Another interesting aspect concern- disciplines. As a matter of fact, this year’s ing the synergistic approach to sports in- challenge will be harder to tackle than the volves military sports facilities, whose us- past ones. Thanks to globalisation, cultur- age and management falls under a Sports al exchanges among continents, and the Facilities Agreement renewed in 2015. availability of foreign trainers and coach- Military sports facilities provide decisive es, some nations can now challenge oppo- support to national sports, allow full-time nents on an equal basis and with excellent focus of athletes onto their disciplines and chances to win as they never did before. therefore improve their performance. The By and large, military sports are no less very athletes also receive a salary they important today, as they increasingly rep- would not have otherwise, and remain in resent the core of Italian performance. The the ranks of their Service once they stop Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) is look- competing. One the other hand, their Ser- ing forward to achieving the same results vices’ image benefits strongly from these of London Olympics, if not better, where athletes as the latter share and promote Italy won 28 medals. Should this success be values such as solidarity, respect, fair play, accomplished, as we believe it will, military and discipline. Sports amplify all of these athletes will have played a great part in it. and - on the top of that - shape top-level Military Sports Today professionals who can contribute to main- Military Sports have been part to what taining and improving the psychological is known as the “Italian Sports Model” and physical conditions of all service mem- and represent one of the strongpoints of bers. top-level national sports. The relationships Service Sports Teams between the Italian Olympic Committee The Services to which the Sports Teams and Defence are regulated by an Agree- belong recognise and foster the value of ment signed on April 24th, 2015 between sports as a supporting instrument of train- the Minister of Defence and the President ing and of psychological and physical de- of CONI and by a 4-year Memorandum velopment. Therefore, they strongly sup- of Understanding that expires periodi- port sports. cally something in between two Olympic The guidelines the Services follow to de- Games. velop sport activities are as follows: The Memorandum covers the respective • mass sport practice to achieve and duties and obligations to implement new improve service members’ physical fitness, sports programmes for Armed Forces’ ath- i.e. the pre-condition to fulfil the institu- letes synergistically, with special reference tional mission of the Italian Armed Forces to medical care, coaching and scientific and Armed Corps; assistance, training of coaches and exec- • leisure sports activities to make bet- utives, promotion of Olympic disciplines, ter use of spare time; the organisation of sport events and relat- • top-level sports in preparation for 20 Gabrio Zandonà – Italian Navy Team

During the latest edition of the London 2012 Summer Olympics, 79 Defence athletes par- ticipated, notably 25 from the Army, 6 from the Navy, 29 from the Air Force, 19 from the Carabinieri. Of these, 41 were men and 38 women. Together, who competed in 21 sport disciplines. Out of 28 medals (8 gold, 9 silver, and 11 bronze) won in London by the Olympic Team, 13 medals (4 gold, 4 silver, and 5 bronze) went to military athletes. The total reaches 25 medals - i.e. almost all medals awarded - if we add those won by the Sports Teams of all Gendarmerie forces. At the Winter Olympics in Sochi 2014, Russia, 40 military athletes (27 men and 13 women) have competed in 10 disciplines. They won 8 medals, of which two by Defence athletes.

Noemi Batki Archery Team Rosalba Forciniti Army Diving Team Italian Air Force Judo - Carabinieri European Gold 2011 Gold, London 2012 Bronze, London 2012

21 ITALIAN ARMY ITALIAN NAVY At present, 238 military athletes are serving The Italian Navy Sports Team is made up of at the Army Sports Centre. Among the 39 athletes who train for the following sports disciplines they train for are: disciplines: skeet shooting, sharpshooting, Summer sports: namely , open water swimming, synchronized judo, karate, wrestling, swimming, modern swimming, lifesaving swimming, diving, pentathlon, , fencing, weightlifting, Olympic sailboat classes, Mini Transat 6.50, , precision shooting, Olympic target archery, white-water slalom (canoe or trap, , gymnastics; kayak), rowing and canoe/kayak. Winter sports: namely alpine , cross The Navy Sports Team draws its athletes country skiing, , mountain-climbing from several units, including: skiing, snowboarding, ski cross, natural The COMSUBIN (Diver and Raider Command track luge, artificial track luge, skeleton, Group) Competitive Sporting Centre. These short track, winter triathlon, ski roll, grass athletes are specialised in skeet shooting skiing, rock climbing; and sharpshooting. At present, the Centre Equestrian sports: i.e. , full, contributes seven international-level endurance; athletes; The ‘Tor di Quinto’ Sporting Centre : with focus on precision landing, in Rome, which hosts three soccer fields freestyle, free fall figures, parasky. and two buildings distributed over an area The Army Sports Centre was established of about 291,000 sq. ft.; The Competitive in 1997. The athletes, depending on the Sports Centre in Luni (La Spezia), which practiced disciplines, serve at the: Army has been involved in international canoeing Olympic Sports Centre in Rome (Summer competitions since 1994; sports); Winter Sports Section in Courmayeur The Navy Rowing Centre, which was (Winter sports); Horse Riding Centre in established in 1958 as the Italian National Montelibretti, Rome (Equestrian sports); Olympic Committee (CONI) asked the Parachuting Section in Pisa (Parachuting). Italian Navy to train the canoeing team for the Olympic Games. In 1960, Navy canoeing crews competed in the Olympic Games held in Rome. The Navy Rowing Centre relies on four training installations located around the Paola Lake in Sabaudia, Latina.

22 ITALIAN AIR FORCE CARABINIERI The Italian Air Force (ITAF) Sport Section The Carabinieri Sports Team consists of relies on 127 athletes competing in the 128 athletes, both men and women, who following sports disciplines: track and field, compete in the following disciplines: , winter sports, , athletics, swimming, judo, fencing, roller skating, table tennis, canoeing, skeet shooting, sharpshooting, modern modern pentathlon, skeet shooting, artistic pentathlon, triathlon, equestrian sports, gymnastics, fencing, archery, rhythmic skydiving, taekwondo, and winter sports. gymnastics, ice sports, sailing-windsurf, Established in 1964 in Rome, the and . Carabinieri Sports Team reports directly to The ITAF Sports Section was established the Carabinieri Schools Command. in 1964. Originally located at the Urbe The Carabinieri Sports organisation Airport, Rome, it was later redeployed to comprises ten Sections spread across Italy. Vigna di Valle, about 40 km north of Rome. The core of the organisation is located in Among the various sports disciplines the Rome and deals with equestrian sports, Section competes in are athletics, fencing, judo, modern pentathlon, triathlon, basketball, and bobsled. In this latter fencing taekwondo, sharpshooting, and discipline, Warrant Officer Luciano de skeet shooting. Paolis won gold medals during the 1972 The remaining four Sections are located in Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan. Selva di Val Gardena (BZ) (winter sports), In 2008 Olympics, ITAF Athletes obtained Bologna (Track and Field), Leghorn a gold medal, two silver medals and four (Skydiving) and Naples (Swimming). bronze medals. The sports organisation coordinates, The 2012 Olympic games in London saw directs, and supports all activities in the participation of 29 ITAF athletes, of these fields with a view to promoting the which 14 won medals, notably 5 gold, 2 Carabinieri’s image through the results silver, and 8 bronze medals. obtained by their top-level military athletes, most of whom are part of national sports teams.

23 national and international competitions. All these activities are developed with- in the Military Sports Centres, which are mainly located in Rome. Conversely, Disci- pline Sections are available all across Italy. The Defence Paralympic Sports Group Sports for the youngsters are also support- was established on December 22nd, ed by Defence in its attempt to promote 2014 to facilitate the physical and psy- sports in general. The Armed Forces - just chological rehabilitation of military personnel who suffered permanent as the Fire Brigade, National Police, and or invalidating injuries/ diseases while the Guardia di Finanza - are strongly com- serving in Italy or abroad. mitted to offering sport opportunities to This is a valuable opportunity for them young boys and girls aged between 10 and to continue leading an active lifestyle and to facilitate integration and devel- 19 through top-level coaches and installa- op esprit de corps among them with tions. The Paralympic Sports Team and its the aim of a most effective social reha- athletes, who were disabled as a result of bilitation. their service, will also be part of the game. Furthermore, Italy is the only country where disabled military may remain on Recruiting and Future Perspectives active duty in a dedicated category of Military athletes have been recruited by service known as the Roll of Honour. public selection by titles for years. Once Over the last years the Italian Paralym- a year, on average, a call for selection of pic Sports Group has attended many national and international competi- military athletes is issued with respect tions. to specific sport disciplines. Which disci- They have trained hard thanks to a plines will be open for selection depends Memorandum of Understanding that on several factors, namely the need to Italy signed with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). In par- replace aging athletes; to foster new dis- ticular, the Memorandum reaffirms the ciplines such as table tennis, target ar- reciprocal commitment of both par- chery, badminton; provide young athletes ties to identify strategies and effec- with consistent training opportunities tive functional techniques to promote Paralympic sporting activities for the in preparation for competitions and the social reintegration and physical and related coaching, logistic, and econom- psychological rehabilitation of disabled ic support. A core requirement to invest military personnel. in people and to continue supporting The disciplines the Group competes in include athletics, , indoor row- top-level sports is that applicants are al- ing, archery, swimming, wheelchair ready considered top-level athletes by basketball, and wheelchair rugby. the Sport Federation they belong to. This Between May 8-12, 2016 the athletes means the applicants are already at the of the Defence Paralympic Sports Group took part to the Invictus Games top in junior categories of their respective in Orlando, Florida. The first edition of disciplines and show great potential for the Invictus Games was held in London excellent future performance. For some in 2014. disciplines, however, there is a risk that 24 transition into Absolute and Senior Cate- sporting careers will continue their pro- gories is not easy, especially if athletes en- fessional path as regular service members. list when they are very young. As a mat- The post-Olympics phase will represent ter of fact, recruiting is allowed from the an excellent opportunity to review the age of 17. However, the large majority of current model and give new momentum selected military athletes take full advan- to future, more significant, and success- tage of this opportunity with a sense of ful prospects. In particular, it is reasona- stability they would not experience else- ble to assume that a knowledgeable set of where. Individual growth is exponential initiatives will be adopted to optimise the in some cases, and personal maturation is system, guide recruiting, and standardise quick and effective. As the results prove, regulations, internal rules, and salaries. this sport model meets the expectations Among these initiatives are the following: of the Olympic Committee and the Sports • Having Services serve as the en- Federations in full, while it provides all gines of and the entities in charge for the instruments to push top-level sports- each discipline thanks to their coordinat- men and women up the ladder. Last, but ing role. not least, this very model offers career op- • The ongoing downsizing of per- portunities in one of the Defence sectors sonnel and disciplines will lead to the cre- to athletes at the end of their sporting life, ation of Sport Clusters, where sports will consistently with the individual charac- be listed by priority. They will receive a teristics and the skills they have acquired different degree of attention depending over the years. on the available financial resources and The Future on the trends the national sports system Military sports represent an area of ex- as a whole follow at any given moment. cellence marked by training, education- • Larger and better synergistic al, and competitive characters. They are achievements will be sought in sharing part of the transformation process that facilities and coaches with a view to train- involves the very organisation and pur- ing, workshops, events, and sport events. pose of military sports as a whole. Thanks • Consistency will also be sought in to the guidelines contained in the Italian external communication by asserting the ‘White Paper for International Security central role played by Defence. and Defence’, a joint services study was • The role and functions of the CO- launched to rationalise the military sports NI-Armed Forces Liaison and Defence sector in the short and middle term. This Sports Branch at the Defence General effort engages all Services at the same Staff will be widened to include issues time and to the same magnitude in an of common interest such as recruitment, attempt to decrease the number of ath- re-assignment of personnel no longer fit letes though gradual but firm downsizing, for sport competitions, and liaison activ- while focusing on their quality and train- ities with the Italian Olympic Committee ing. Athletes who reach the end of their and National Discipline Federations. 25