You’ve probably noticed it: when you see Marcell Jacobs or Gianmarco Tamberi on TV, they’re not just wearing the blue national jersey. Behind their achievements are also military stars stitched on their chests. This isn’t a stylistic choice, but the norm for a large part of Italian sports: many champions, both male and female, belong to military or police corps. It’s strange, yet, in Italy, it’s been this way for over half a century.
A Uniquely Italian Tradition
The link between uniform and athletics isn’t a recent invention. As far back as the 1960 Rome Olympics, Livio Berruti—with his sunglasses, elegant stride, and gold in the 200 meters—was nicknamed “the world’s fastest policeman.” The model was born after the war, when the state decided to support top talent through its armed forces. Instead of leaving athletes at the mercy of sponsors and part-time jobs, it enlisted them. This led to the creation of groups like the Fiamme Oro of the State Police, later followed by the Fiamme Gialle of the Guardia di Finanza, the Carabinieri, the Army, and other corps.
Today, the system is vast: eight sports groups, around 1,200 enlisted athletes, and a percentage that makes up nearly 70% of the Italian Olympic team. In practice, behind most of Italy’s medals is a law enforcement or military body.
Fiamme Oro, Fiamme Gialle, and All the Others
Not all uniforms are the same. The Fiamme Oro of the Police have been home to Jacobs and Tamberi, as well as fencers like Bebe Vio. The Fiamme Gialle developed Filippo Tortu and, in the past, Tamberi himself. The Carabinieri have had Alberto Tomba and Armin Zöggeler among their ranks, while the Army welcomed judoka Fabio Basile, a gold medalist at Rio 2016. The Air Force has supported Giuseppe Gibilisco and Andrew Howe, the Navy is tied to sailing and aquatic sports, the Fiamme Azzurre of the Penitentiary Police enlisted Pietro Mennea, and even the Fire Department has its own team, with Jury Chechi as its icon.
Each corps has its specialties, but the logic is identical: select promising young talents through public competitions, enlist them, and allow them to train without financial burdens.
Why It Benefits Both Athletes and the State
For a sprinter or a jumper, life outside of soccer is one of sacrifice and precarious salaries. Joining a sports group means having a regular salary, top-tier facilities, doctors, physical therapists, and coaches. It means being able to plan a career without needing another job to make a living and afford training, thus saving significant energy and focus to dedicate to athletic preparation. And above all, it means having a future even after their competitive career ends: a position within the corps, a role, and a stability that is not a given in Italian professional sports.
From the state’s perspective, the investment is a form of modern patronage: the military corps support talented individuals and in return get visibility, national pride, and a boost to their public image.
The Pros and Cons of a Unique System
Of course, there’s a flip side. Some talk about the “militarization” of sports, of ranks being awarded more for medals than for service. Others fear that this model, having become almost the only one, reduces the space for other forms of professional sports. A teenager who joins a sports corps soon finds themselves living their dream as a job, with rules and discipline that not everyone can handle.
Yet the results speak for themselves: without this system, many careers would have been cut short before they even began. Tamberi’s resilience after his 2016 injury or the trajectory of Bebe Vio are examples of how much institutional support can make a difference. This is in addition, of course, to support from sponsors, which isn’t guaranteed for all athletes and is typically only accessible to those who achieve the best results.
An Italian Peculiarity
In other countries, athletes have to juggle school, work, and training. In Italy, we see them step onto the podium with a medal and a uniform. It’s a creative, almost paradoxical solution, but one that has worked: turning a weakness (the lack of widespread professional sports) into a strength.
So it happens that our champions serve the country twice: as athletes, making millions of people dream, and as members of state institutions. In Italy, that’s just how we do it.