The Ministry of Defence and the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) have joined forces to promote and enhance Italian sport.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed today at the Ministry of Defence headquarters, establishing increasingly effective forms of cooperation aimed at spreading sporting culture through the synergistic use of the respective institutional prerogatives.

The Minister of Defence, Guido Crosetto, and the CONI President, Luciano Buonfiglio, formalised an agreement designed to support the competitive programmes of athletes from the Armed Forces’ Sports Groups, grant access to facilities to encourage wider participation in sport, and contribute to the organisation of major sporting events.

“The protocol signed today strengthens a collaboration based on shared values between Sport and Defence — such as sacrifice, discipline, respect and a sense of duty — with the aim of promoting sporting culture and the role of the Military Sports Groups. Our hope is to further reinforce this commitment, particularly in support of so-called ‘minor’ disciplines, which are less commercially lucrative and less visible in the media, yet demand an extremely high level of sacrifice, dedication and resilience” said Minister Crosetto.

“We are proud of this protocol for its significance and for the tangible effects it will deliver, consolidating a relationship that is essential to our success. Never before has the State been so close to CONI. We are harmonising cooperation at every level, fully aware of our role. We consider ourselves partners of the Ministries and of the Government” added CONI President Buonfiglio.