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Sport in Vatican City
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Sport in Vatican City
Vatican City has national teams that compete in athletics, cricket, cycling, football, padel, and taekwondo. Outside of competitive play, sport has been stated as a way of interfaith dialogue, promoting peace with other nations, diplomacy, and fraternity.
A race track was built in the 1st century where Vatican City is now located. In the 16th century, a game of calcio fiorentino was held in the Cortile del Belvedere. The 20th and 21st centuries saw the expansion of sporting activities in Vatican City, with it being encouraged after World War II by Pope Pius XII. It also saw the establishment of Vatican Athletics, the first official sporting organization of Vatican City. Vatican Athletics also handles Vatican Cycling, Vatican Taekwondo, and Vatican Padel, which are members of their sports' respective international federations.
The first athlete to officially represent Vatican City in international competition was Rien Schuurhuis, who competed in the 2022 and 2023 UCI Road World Championships. In multi-sport events, Vatican City has not competed in the Olympic Games as it does not have a National Olympic Committee. Although, Vatican City has supplied delegations for other multi-sport events, such as the Mediterranean Games and the Games of the Small States of Europe.
A sporting facility built in what is now Vatican City was the first-century chariot-racing track of the Circus of Nero. Also known as the Circus of Caligula, the track was built in what was then ancient Rome. The circus itself was constructed on Vatican Hill, one of the seven hills of Rome, and was completed in the reign of Emperor Caligula. The circus lasted until between 318 and 322 when Emperor Constantine I ordered construction on the site to be replaced with the Old St. Peter's Basilica.
A game of calcio fiorentino was held in the 16th century within Vatican City. A predecessor to association football and rugby, the game was organized by the Papal States and was held on 7 January 1521, in the Cortile del Belvedere, located in the Apostolic Palace. The first match itself was notably attended and organized by Pope Leo X.
In the aftermath of World War II, Pope Pius XII encouraged sporting activities within Vatican City. Sporting activities were organized and executed by the Catholic Church, through Catholic youth and sports associations.
Pope John Paul II made multiple speeches and messages that relate to sport and helped with multiple advancements to the spread of sport within Vatican City, such as the establishment of the Church and Sport section in the Pontifical Council for the Laity during his rule. Being known as the "athlete Pope", he also established Office of Church and Sport for the promotion of sport within Vatican City and the Church's connection with sport.
On multiple occasions, Pope Francis, stated that sport could be used as a way of advocating peace across nations, fraternity, and diplomacy. He praised the North Korean and South Korean teams at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, for their joint supply of a unified Korean team at the Games, stating that the Vatican would back up peace initiatives between the two nations. Francis also stated to Vatican Athletics that sport "reminds us that, despite our differences, we are all members of the same human family", stating that sport could promote peaceful relationships with other nations during the lead-up to the 2024 Summer Olympics and 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris.
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Sport in Vatican City
Vatican City has national teams that compete in athletics, cricket, cycling, football, padel, and taekwondo. Outside of competitive play, sport has been stated as a way of interfaith dialogue, promoting peace with other nations, diplomacy, and fraternity.
A race track was built in the 1st century where Vatican City is now located. In the 16th century, a game of calcio fiorentino was held in the Cortile del Belvedere. The 20th and 21st centuries saw the expansion of sporting activities in Vatican City, with it being encouraged after World War II by Pope Pius XII. It also saw the establishment of Vatican Athletics, the first official sporting organization of Vatican City. Vatican Athletics also handles Vatican Cycling, Vatican Taekwondo, and Vatican Padel, which are members of their sports' respective international federations.
The first athlete to officially represent Vatican City in international competition was Rien Schuurhuis, who competed in the 2022 and 2023 UCI Road World Championships. In multi-sport events, Vatican City has not competed in the Olympic Games as it does not have a National Olympic Committee. Although, Vatican City has supplied delegations for other multi-sport events, such as the Mediterranean Games and the Games of the Small States of Europe.
A sporting facility built in what is now Vatican City was the first-century chariot-racing track of the Circus of Nero. Also known as the Circus of Caligula, the track was built in what was then ancient Rome. The circus itself was constructed on Vatican Hill, one of the seven hills of Rome, and was completed in the reign of Emperor Caligula. The circus lasted until between 318 and 322 when Emperor Constantine I ordered construction on the site to be replaced with the Old St. Peter's Basilica.
A game of calcio fiorentino was held in the 16th century within Vatican City. A predecessor to association football and rugby, the game was organized by the Papal States and was held on 7 January 1521, in the Cortile del Belvedere, located in the Apostolic Palace. The first match itself was notably attended and organized by Pope Leo X.
In the aftermath of World War II, Pope Pius XII encouraged sporting activities within Vatican City. Sporting activities were organized and executed by the Catholic Church, through Catholic youth and sports associations.
Pope John Paul II made multiple speeches and messages that relate to sport and helped with multiple advancements to the spread of sport within Vatican City, such as the establishment of the Church and Sport section in the Pontifical Council for the Laity during his rule. Being known as the "athlete Pope", he also established Office of Church and Sport for the promotion of sport within Vatican City and the Church's connection with sport.
On multiple occasions, Pope Francis, stated that sport could be used as a way of advocating peace across nations, fraternity, and diplomacy. He praised the North Korean and South Korean teams at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, for their joint supply of a unified Korean team at the Games, stating that the Vatican would back up peace initiatives between the two nations. Francis also stated to Vatican Athletics that sport "reminds us that, despite our differences, we are all members of the same human family", stating that sport could promote peaceful relationships with other nations during the lead-up to the 2024 Summer Olympics and 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris.
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