Running across four days of structured athletic immersion, the program brought together ten INAIL-assisted participants who sustained disabilities from workplace accidents, offering them hands-on training in scuba diving, archery, tennis, and track and field.
Structured Athletic Training in Licata
Participants engaged in multiple disciplines designed to build physical confidence and test new skill sets. In the resort’s swimming pool, athletes transitioned from breath-hold apnea drills to introductory scuba diving with tanks under the direct supervision of a federal instructor from the Italian Federation for Sport Fishing and Underwater Activities (FIPSAS).
Alongside aquatic sports, the schedule featured introductory sessions in archery led by first-level instructor Hellas Fuchsova, alongside tennis and track and field sessions guided by athletic coach Giancarlo La Greca. According to the organizing bodies, the curriculum specifically targeted individuals with little to no prior exposure to paralympic sports, allowing each athlete to train at an individual pace without performance pressure.
Institutional Goals and Rehabilitation Framework
CIP Sicilia President Roberto Pregadio emphasized that the Licata initiative serves as an entry point rather than a standalone event. Organizers coordinated with local sports federations and regional associations to ensure athletes can find accessible clubs near their hometowns after the camp concludes, helping them integrate athletics into their daily routines. Giorgio Soluri, regional director of INAIL Sicily, reinforced this perspective during the institutional addresses, noting that sports serve as an essential catalyst for rehabilitation and social reintegration following workplace trauma.
This initiative falls under INAIL’s four-year plan for 2026–2029, which focuses on spreading the culture of sports, and orienting injured workers toward paralympic disciplines. The institute’s commitment to sport-therapy traces its roots back to the 1950s, when physician Antonio Maglio pioneered rehabilitation methods at the INAIL paraplegic center in Villa Marina, Ostia, later playing a role in the establishment of the international Paralympic Games in Rome in 1960.
Participant Perspectives and Progression
Feedback from the ten participants highlighted the immediate psychological and physical impact of the multi-sport training. One participant remarked on realizing the extent of their physical capabilities, expressing an intent to seek out a local sports discipline to regain a competitive edge. Another athlete, who had previous diving experience, successfully completed a full underwater traverse without breathing apparatus, describing the experience as the recovery of an emotion previously thought lost.
The Licata camp marks the second regional sports initiative hosted by CIP Sicilia and INAIL for the year. Earlier in the season, from June 4 to 7, a summer campus took place at the Kikiki Village in Modica, featuring ten INAIL beneficiaries alongside eight caregivers who participated in table tennis, fencing, and track and field events supported by specialized medical and social assistance staff.
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