The International Federation of American Football [IFAF] and the Italian Federation of American Football (FIDAF) were pleased to host representatives of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) to discuss the global development of the sport on the occasion of the 41st Italian Bowl at Stadio Dall'Ara in Bologna, Italy. IFAF President, Pierre Trochet, was joined by Mr. Leoluca Orlando, President of FIDAF and Vice-President of CONI Emilia Romagna, Mr. Vittorio Vaccaro. Meetings took place on the sidelines of the National Championship final which saw Guelfi Firenze beat Seamen Milano 21 to 17 in a close-fought encounter that demonstrated the ongoing development of American Football in Italy. It was an opportunity for Pierre and Mr. Orlando to update the Italian Olympic Committee on the evolution of IFAF and the rapid worldwide development of American football and flag football, in particular, as it prepares to make its debut at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, USA later this week. Italy will be among 10 nations from 3 continents to compete at the tournament, fielding both men’s and women’s teams. Pierre Trochet, President of IFAF, said: “I am very grateful for the opportunity to meet with our colleagues from CONI, alongside our friends at the Italian Federation of American Football, and participate in useful discussions on the future development of our sport. “Since my election, my priority has been to get out and have these conversations with our members and stakeholders, especially in countries such as Italy, where the sport is developing so fast. It is crucial for us to engage with key actors within the international sports and Olympic community – to understand their needs and share with them our exciting vision. “Through flag football in particular, we have a great contribution to make to worldwide sports development, especially among youth audiences with the support of the NFL.” Leoluca Orlando, President of FIDAF, added: “It has been fantastic to be able to showcase the growth of American football in Italy. This is an exciting moment in the sport’s development. As FIDAF, we have long enjoyed excellent collaboration with both IFAF and CONI and we believe these relationships will be crucial to deliver further growth in line with our shared objectives.” This year’s Italian Bowl marks the 41st time the Bowl has been staged, with the inaugural match taking place in 1981. The Italian Federation of American Football (FIDAF) is the governing body of the sport in Italy and is recognised by the Italian Olympic Committee. It runs 14 national leagues including traditional tackle and flag football with about 6,000 men, women and children playing the sport nationwide. Italy’s national men’s team is the current IFAF European Champion. Pierre Trochet, President of IFAF, presents Guelfi Firenze’s defensive end Lorenzo Dalle Piagge with the MVP award. Photo credit: Manuela Pellegrini