Unique in Italy, born from the collaboration between CUS Bergamo and Pegasus Sporting Club SSD with the aim of counteracting homolesbobitransphobia in the world of sport at university level, the sports project “Inclusion, training and valorisation of diversity to counteract homolesbobitransphobia and any form of hatred on the playing fields of the Bergamo area” concluded the 2023/24 sports season with a more than positive outcome: 12 girls and 4 boys participated, almost all of whom had never played volleyball. Many of them, during the season, cheered for the Pegasus Volleyball Men’s team, demonstrating how intersectionality was generated naturally.
“The project – explains prof. Francesco Lo Monaco, Rector’s delegate for sports activities and relations with the Cus -, created with the support of the University of Bergamo which made the sports facilities available for carrying out the activities, was structured on three pillars: environment open to all regardless of gender, sexual orientation and level of knowledge of volleyball; free training for participants; contrast to homolesbobitransphobia in sports environments”.
“We are very happy and proud to have given life to this project in collaboration with CUS Bergamo – explains Marco Arlati, Arcigay national secretariat for sports delegation, and General Director – Founding Member of Pegasus -, which has obtained the patronage of Coni Lombardia and national Arcigay . A pilot project, unique in Italy which can be taken as an example in other provinces and replicated. Our goal was to create a volleyball course open to everyone, with a negligible cost to allow access to any student. In addition to training on sport, the aim was to train against discrimination and enter the world of university sports. The course started in October and ended in May. 4 boys and 12 girls participated, who met at the Dalmine headquarters on Thursday evenings on a bi-weekly basis. On the technical side we chose Fabrizio Cornolti, national teacher of the Italian Volleyball Federation, a highly professional figure. The boys of the first men’s team of Pegasus Volley, active in the FIPAV second division, also participated in the evenings to create even greater unity and social interaction. The course was much appreciated, and will be offered again in the 2024/25 season. Furthermore, thanks to the desire of many of the girls on the course to go beyond training, we have decided to also create the mixed free volleyball team for next season, which will train together with the first team. This evolution will allow everyone who comes to the course to also have a team to join in case they want to take the field in a championship.
I would like to thank President Claudio Bertoletti for his trust and excellent collaboration, Professor Anna Lorenzetti, Rector’s delegate for gender policies, and Professor Francesco Lo Monaco, Rector’s Delegate for sports activities and relations with the Cus, for the their support and President Marco Riva for giving his patronage. A true team of excellence with which to develop this project in the coming years.”
Marco Riva, President of Coni Lombardia declares: “I thank Marco Arlati, Claudio Bertoletti, Francesco Lo Monaco and all of CUS Bergamo. For us it is essential to ‘build bridges’ in the world of sport to spread the values of inclusion, against all forms of hatred and discrimination. The Pegasus Sporting Club project is unique in its structure and for us it was our duty to not only give our patronage but to be here today to give concreteness and strength. We need long-term projects that impact the world of sport.
Let us ensure that they live the Olympic values of friendship, respect and excellence, giving value to the Olympic motto: ‘faster, higher, stronger, TOGETHER’ to build a better world, through sport.”
In consideration of these very important results, the project will not only be re-proposed for the 2024/25 season but will be further strengthened. In fact, the course will be presented again from October to May, open to all, structured like the current one, with a professional coach available and a symbolic fee so as not to create any barriers to participation, and the Mixed Freestyle team will be created which will participate in a championship. This team will train at the CUS together with the men’s team that plays in the second division of FIPAV, and the training will be carried out on the same day so as to create more cohesion and social interaction between people. This innovation will allow the students who participate in the course to also be able to increase their competitive activity by joining a team and playing matches.
The patronage of CONI Lombardia and Arcigay Sport Nazionale has also been confirmed for 2024/25. Furthermore, everyone will also be given the opportunity to participate in the LGBTQ+ tournaments that will be held throughout the year around Italy.
Registration for the mixed freestyle teams and the men’s team opens today and the first training sessions will take place in September.
