The road that leads to the table football World Cup next February, an event never before hosted in Italy, also passes through concrete gestures of inclusion and participation. Like the donation of the 14 tables that the Italian Paralympic Table Football Federation delivered to schools and universities. A path that has its roots in the work started in the city for years between the organization of the Italian Cup, the overall Italian championship and the first interscholastic tournament.
At the University Citadel, for example, inclusion is a daily reality: alongside competitive activity, the work carried out in the swimming, artistic gymnastics and archery sectors has opened up new and continuous spaces for athletes with disabilities. Now the arrival of table football adds a further element which, as underlined in the press conference of the Salone della Bandiere, is not a concession or a “gift”, but a right that passes through sport, a universal language and a field of equal opportunities.
For Alfredo Finanze, president of Mediterranea Eventi, «this donation is a fundamental moment in a journey that began in 2022 and grew year after year, up to the recognition of the international federation which preferred Messina as the venue for the 2026 World Cup. A choice that fills us doubly with pride and which rewards the city’s structures, organization and welcoming capacity».
Sports councilor Massimo Finocchiaro underlines the value of synergy: «President Bonanno has learned to appreciate the city, so much so that he organized an interscholastic championship, followed by this donation of tables to schools and universities. It is a sign of how a welcoming administration favors paths that remain in the area”. And for the president of the FPICB himself, Francesco Bonanno, «Messina has shown receptivity and ability to make the most of inclusion projects”. Hence the choice to donate tools intended to be used and not left in storage, transforming table football from a simple game to a real sport, ready to experience its most prestigious showcase on the banks of the Strait, from 6 to 8 February.
Mayor Federico Basile talks about «a strong signal of community, a further step on the path towards a city without barriers»while councilor Liana Cannata recalls how the involvement of young people is the heart of the project: «It is the emblem of how a community should function»he adds.
Also taking part in the press conference were the mayor of Taormina Cateno De Luca, the provincial delegate of the CIP Francesco Giorgio, the vice-rector Giuseppe Giordano, the president of the SSD Unime Francesco De Francesco and the school heads of the schools involved in the donation of table football (Villa Lina-Ritiro-Battisti, Catalfamo, Maurolico, Galilei di Spadafora, Vittorini, Fleres di Taormina and Bisazza).