On Saturday, 7 December 2024, the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) during a ceremony at its headquarters in Rome awarded the best Flying Disc athletes and announce the green light to proceed to the inclusion of the discipline in FIGeST. Following the modification of the FIGeST Statutes, which will take place on 25 January 2025, Flying Disc will have full recognition of the NOC of Italy. Giovanni Malagò — IOC Member, President of the Milano Cortina 2026 OCOG, and President of Comitato Olimpico Nazionale Italiano (CONI), Italy’s National Olympic Committee — addressed the audience at the ceremony, along with Enzo Casadidio — President of the Federazione Italiana Giochi e Sport Tradizionali (FIGeST – WFDF Member for Italy) and Board Member of the NOC of Italy, and Robert “Nob” Rauch, WFDF President. This milestone highlights the growing influence of Flying Disc sports in Italy and its inclusion as a key discipline under FIGeST.
During the event, Rauch, Casadidio, and Italian Flying Disc chair Salvatore Comis presented certificates to Italian Ultimate and Freestyle athletes who had won medals in recent international championships for their outstanding achievements in Flying Disc sports. After the formal ceremony, participants joined in a spirit circle by the Stadio Dei Marmi, behind the CONI headquarters and next to the Olympic Stadium.
The event coincided with Spirit of the Game Day, a celebration of the core values of Flying Disc Sports: integrity, sportsmanship, and mutual respect. The alignment of these events underscores the importance of these values as Flying Disc gains prominence in Italy’s sporting framework.
Rauch commented that “this recognition by CONI is a monumental step for Flying Disc Sports in Italy and it is an honor to receive this. It affirms the sport’s growing visibility and provides a platform to develop new opportunities for athletes and strengthen partnerships across the country. It is particularly meaningful that this announcement happened on Spirit of the Game Day, emphasizing the values that unify our global Flying Disc community.”
“I am very pleased with the work we have done and the inclusion of Flying Disc in FIGeST,” stated FIGeST President Enzo Casadidio. “We are confident that with Flying Disc Italian athletes can achieve excellent sporting results and that we will be able to include the Flying Disc in the Mediterranean Games.” Salvatore Comis, Italian Flying Disc chair, added, “After years of hard work, the official recognition by CONI represents a milestone for Flying Disc, which enters the Italian sports disciplines with full legitimacy. This result consolidates the role of Flying Disc within the FIGeST, opening up new opportunities for the growth of the movement, the support of athletes and the dissemination of the values of our sport.”
This recognition cements Flying Disc Sports’ place within Italy’s Olympic framework, fostering new collaborations between CONI, FIGeST, and WFDF to promote the sport. It opens doors to greater resources, access to facilities, and the opportunity to elevate Flying Disc as a prominent sport nationwide.
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The image, from left to right, features Enzo Casadidio, President of the Federazione Italiana Giochi e Sport Tradizionali (FIGeST); Giovanni Malagò, President of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI); and Robert “Nob” Rauch, President of the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF).
The World Flying Disc Federation is the international sports federation responsible for world governance of flying disc (frisbee) sports, including Ultimate, Beach Ultimate, Disc Golf, Freestyle, Guts and Overall Events. WFDF is a federation of 115 member associations that represent flying disc sports and their athletes in over 111 countries. WFDF is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and the International University Sports Federation (FISU). It is a member of the International World Games Association (IWGA), the Association of Recognized International Federations (ARISF), the International Masters Games Association (IMGA), The Association For International Sport for All (TAFISA), and the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE). It is also a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Agency Code. WFDF is a registered not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation in the state of Colorado, USA.
For more information contact:
Karina Woldt
WFDF Managing Director Events & Operations (MDEO)
World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF)
Mobile: +49 151 4045 6046
email: [email protected]