The main mission of the Italian Air Force Sports Centre is to ensure, in conjunction with the relevant Sports Federations, the protection and improvement of high-level competitive sports activities carried out by military athletes of “national interest” belonging to the Air Force.
The competitive activity of the Italian Air Force Sports Centre Athletes is organised into the following disciplines:
In 1964, the Aeronautics General Staff decreed the establishment, at Rome's Urbe Airport, of a new Department that would respond to the need to coordinate all competitive sporting activity, which until then had been practised in a disorganised and amateurish manner, with particular attention to high-level pursuits.
Following a subsequent analysis, however, it was preferred to transfer the new body to Vigna di Valle, which met all the requirements to host and have the necessary facilities for a sports centre.
The work immediately focused on adapting the existing structures to the technical and logistical needs of the new department established there: the field for manoeuvres and testing of automatic airship landing systems gave way to the athletics track, while the large Saporiti hangar, which dominated Lake Bracciano, was internally renovated to house an indoor basketball court with two side stands for the public.
In 1971, with the contribution of CONI, a programme of modernisation and expansion of support facilities began with the construction of new accommodation, including offices, briefing rooms, a canteen, a social club and dedicated rooms to house over 100 athletes who, at the time, were completing their national service.
Thanks to a new grant from CONI, the sports facilities were modernised in 1985: the athletics track, the basketball court and the fencing hall which, established in Palazzo Aeronautica in 1947, was the first sports facility to be transferred to Vigna di Valle in 1964.
Further major works of modernisation and upgrading of the existing facilities were carried out in the following years, including the complete refurbishment of the tartan track and the setting up of a new weight training room.
The Sports Centre was inaugurated in the spring of 1989 by the then Minister of Sport, Tourism and Entertainment Franco Carraro, who had previously been an aviator and athlete at Vigna di Valle during his national service.
To wear the shirt of Italian Air Force Sports Centre It is necessary to participate in competitions exclusively dedicated to personnel to be enlisted as “VFP4 – Athlete”.
These are periodically banned by the Ministry of Defence based on the organic needs of the various disciplines and are intended for “Athletes of National Interest” recognised by CONI and the competent National Sports Federations.
University Avenue, 4
00185 – Rome
06/49864833 (Urban Line)
06/49865405 (Fax)
sport@aeronautica.difesa.it
