The newly-formed Vatican Athletics team, which is aiming to compete in international competitions, including the Olympics, was officially launched on Thursday after reaching a bilateral agreement with the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI). So far there are 60 members of Vatican Athletics — the first Sports Association constituted in the Holy See — which includes nuns, priests, Swiss Guards and other workers. Monsignor Melchor José Sánchez de Toca y Alameda, president of Vatican Athletics, said at the launch that the Olympic Games were “the dream but not in the short term”. But in the immediate future Vatican Athletics would like to be present at smaller competitions such as the Mediterranean Games. Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) president Giovanni Malago praised the latest initiative at the Holy See which already has football and cricket teams.

Source: Egypt Independent January 11, 2019 09:32 UTC