Perhaps it’s the proverbial olive-branch for that infamous dive at the 2006 World Cup, but it appears the round-ball obsessed nation of Italy is taking to Australian football.
On Saturday May 15, the first ever Australian football match was played in the boot-shaped nation, on a rugby training ground near the banks of the Tiber River in Rome.
The ‘friendly’ match between northern Italian rivals Milan and Rome was played in the lead up to the inaugural AFL Italia Australian Rules premiership season which kicks off next month.
The four team competition includes a team from Genoa and the Swiss border town of Lugano.
A keen onlooker at the inaugural match was Sydney Swans ambassador and Australian ambassador to the Holy See, Tim Fischer.
The former deputy prime minister was a proud to be in the crowd sporting his Swans scarf as he watched the match in wet conditions.
“I observed a match with a strong standard. It was a historic moment for the magic game,” Fischer told AAP.
Championing Australian football’s presence in Rome is Australian-born Italian lawyer Nicolai Giampaolo.
"There are a group of Australian-born Italians here that are interested in making Australian Rules football grow," Mr Giampaolo told AAP.
"They introduced it here, the first few training sessions in Rome had about 22 guys, but then it grew to 30 guys who were all interested and had fallen in love with the game after seeing it on TV.
"Most of the players are Italian born.
"I am sure the Italian community back in Australia will be interested to know people love the sport here."
Mr Giampaolo will coach the Italian national team for the sixth EU Cup, which is the
European Championship of Australian football and will be played in Italy in September.
The AFL’s footprint outside of Australia’s shores has been bolstered in recent months with the appointment of former Hawthorn, Collingwood and Fitzroy midfielder Tony Woods to the role of International Development Manager, while the European Australian Football Association appointed Peter Romaniw to the newly created position of European Regional Manger.
Mr Giampaolo hopes to take an Italian team to the Australian Football International Cup in Melbourne next year, but will have to get financial backing to fly at least 30 people to Melbourne.
