Anticipating the world athletics federation and the Taekwondo federation, which are examining their respective dossiers, the UCI, international cycling union, recognized Athletica Vaticana as its 200th official member during its Congress held in Belgium, in Leuven.
This is a decision that some call historic and which is probably another step towards the creation of a pontifical team to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Beyond the Tiber it had already been talked about, the speech had only concerned the athletics team for some time in business with representatives who have stood up (just think of Don Vincenzo Puccio, fifth in the Treviso marathon) and who in 2019, waiting for the real Games, had taken part in those of the Small States of Europe in Montenegro , sponsored by the IOC. Now it is the turn of new realities such as 'Vatican Cycling', a section dedicated to the pedal of Athletica Vaticana which remains the role of the Sports Association of the Holy See and therefore also of reference for cycling activity, and which for this reason has entered the Uci.
Athletica Vaticana - entrusted by the Secretariat of State to the Pontifical Council for Culture, with canonical legal personality and headquarters in the Vatican City - began its service among sports women and men three years ago. It is made up of Vatican citizens and employees and their first degree family members, obviously priests and nuns also compete. The choice to promote cycling arises "from the observation of the popularity of this sport in the Vatican world and also - it is written in a press release from Athletica Vaticana - from the awareness that cycling, as Pope Francis stated in March 2019, highlights some virtues such as the endurance of fatigue, in the long and difficult climbs, the courage, in attempting an escape or in facing a sprint, thealtruism and a sense of team '. During the races the whole team works together and when a teammate goes through a difficult moment, his teammates support and accompany him. So also in life it is necessary to cultivate a spirit of altruism, generosity and community to help those who are left behind ".
The name of Gino Bartali is then mentioned as an example to follow not only in the cycling field and it is remembered that "the Giro d'Italia itself has started from the Vatican". Hence the decision to form a team, complete with a technical sponsor, the same as athletics, which is already taking care of the uniforms.
Then it will be the turn of Teakwondo, a discipline that in the shadow of St. Peter's Dome would be practiced by some Swiss guards, who, however, would have to renounce the citizenship of their country in order to possibly represent the Papal State at the Games.
In short, remembering that two football championships are also played in the Vatican, the one between the teams of employees and the Clericus Cup which engages representatives of the various pontifical seminaries and universities, all that remains is to reap the fruits, sporting and spiritual, of this never-so-good activity. intense.