For the first time in its history, Palermo has established a Paralympic football team and will compete in the championships organised by the Italian Football Federation’s (FIGC) Paralympic Football Division (DCP). “Palermo Insieme” has been created, bringing together athletes with various disabilities and professionals specialising in rehabilitation through sport, united by a shared commitment to social inclusion and breaking down barriers.
The initiative has been developed through a collaboration between the Rosanero Club and Athletic MA’MA ASD, an organisation with years of experience in psychiatric rehabilitation, with a particular focus on recovery processes and the development of personal and interpersonal skills. The sporting project is conceived as an integral part of a broader rehabilitation pathway, in which football serves as an educational tool and a means of promoting social inclusion, in line with contemporary psychiatric rehabilitation models focused on active participation and citizenship.
The “Palermo Insieme” team, which will wear Palermo’s official match kits, will take part in two seven-a-side football competitions organised by the FIGC Paralympic Football Division at regional and interregional level, with different playing levels based on the athletes’ abilities.
The team was welcomed to the Palermo CFA in Torretta for the presentation of the project and the official handover of the kits, with the aim of giving the athletes a memorable day. After putting on their personalised shirts bearing their names, the players toured the training centre used by Palermo’s Men’s First Team, enjoyed a kickabout on the training pitch, posed for official photographs and experienced first-hand the facilities where the Rosanero players train every day.
“Palermo has the ability to shine a spotlight on disability and vulnerability, giving visibility to a journey that goes beyond sporting activity and focuses on the personal development and lives of individuals. When you step onto the pitch, differences disappear: there are no longer people with disabilities playing football, but athletes representing a team, competing in an official federation competition and proudly wearing the Palermo shirt. Being seen also means being recognised as a whole person, rather than being defined solely by one’s vulnerabilities or medical condition. Sport can help us achieve precisely that,” said Dario Romano, President of Athletic MA’MA ASD.
“Being Palermo also means breaking down barriers and creating the conditions for everyone to feel part of our community, sharing its values and sense of belonging. Palermo Insieme represents the natural evolution of our commitment to social responsibility towards the city and all its people. It is a commitment we have pursued for some time, and today we are taking another step forward. We are proud to welcome these young people into the Rosanero family: from today, they are Palermo players, and we are confident that they will represent the values of our Club on the pitch with pride and responsibility,” said Giovanni Gardini, Chief Executive Officer of Palermo FC.
The project forms part of the network of partnerships developed by Athletic MA’MA ASD across the local community, which this year has also expanded to include the Autism Unit of Palermo’s Local Health Authority (ASP). This collaboration broadens the opportunities available for athletes to participate and strengthens the integration of sporting activities into health and social inclusion programmes.
The FIGC Paralympic Football Division (DCP), established on 3 October 2019 following an agreement with the Italian Paralympic Committee (CIP), was created to promote and expand participation in football among people with disabilities. The FIGC was the first sports federation in the world to establish a dedicated Paralympic football division within its organisation. The DCP currently involves 200 clubs and 300 teams across Italy, many of which are affiliated or partnered with professional and amateur football clubs, and awards national titles at each competitive level every season.