Volata
Volata, meaning 'sprint' in Italian, was a short lived ball game that was developed in fascist Italy as a substitute for association football (soccer) and rugby union. The fascists wanted to distance themselves from the English roots of the football codes. The sport was created by the national secretary of the Fascist Party, Augusto Turati, supposedly based on a form of football played in classical times and therefore indigenous to Italy.
The first official match was contested in the Fascist Party Stadium of Rome on 6 January 1929. In 1930 a Federation of Giuoco della Volata (FIGV) was established and started a national championship, with over 100 teams. The sport's success was short lived. The sport never caught on in football-mad Italy and in 1936-37 the game was abandoned
About Volata
Volata was created with hybrid rules from those for football (soccer) and handball. Another reference said it was a mix of football, rugby, handball, calcio fiorentino and basketball. Two teams, composed by 8 players each, played on a modified football ground. The game lasted one hour, divided into three periods of 20 minutes each. Basically the ball could be played by using hands and feet, but for not more than three seconds.
Related Pages
- Other Hybrid Sports
- About Extinct and Ancient Sports
- List of Extinct Sports
- Complete list of sports
Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.
Upcoming Events