The adversary never the enemy

On Sunday 15 January at the PalaSermig we won the Coppa Italia and we became regional champions (Piedmont and Valle D'Aosta) of Calcio a Cinque!

We gave this incredible party to a packed PalaSermig of people, who all came to support those who fought like a lion on the field, never giving up, ending our game with 5-0.
There was no longer a free seat: children who ran all the time with their balls in the corridor in front of the stands, experts from the world of futsal, players from other teams, but above all our boys and girls from the youth teams, come on first kicks and minivolley for the under 17 players.

It was a party. Not an insult, not a dispute, not an aggression. Only healthy cheering with drums, flags and all the voice one has. The voice for not against, the voice to support one's team, not to demolish the other.

That's why it was a party. The sports festival. Wearing our shirt with the Peace flag printed on it reminds us that sport is a privileged language that can promote peace and inclusion: but how much effort it takes to realize this potential! In fact, we know well how even small wars can break out in sport, on the pitch and in the stands. Those of us who accompany our children to games or go to the stadium or arenas know how easy it is to slip into hostility towards referees and opponents. And sport stops being a party.
Competition becomes rivalry. The desire to win becomes the desire to mortify. Cheering is an opportunity to vent anger.

Building peace for us at the Arsenale dello Sport, in every training session, in every game, is to practice, sometimes force ourselves, by watching over each other, to do our best to win the game but considering the adversary never the enemy.
Succeeding in sport is great training that almost by osmosis passes into the events of our lives even off the pitch and in the stands.


Elena Canalis
NP February 2023