FEDERATION OF ITALIAN CATHOLIC SPORTS ASSOCIATIONS (F.A.S.C.I.). — The official act of birth dates to 13 May 1906 on the occasion of the Superior Council of the Society of Italian Catholic Youth. In the minutes, in fact, it is recorded that it was resolved to found a Federation of national Catholic sports associations with a president belonging to the Italian Catholic Youth, but not the general president. Here are the details: “The Superior Council of the Society of Italian Catholic Youth, meeting in extraordinary session on 13 May 1906, affirms in principle that sport is of merit and that sports associations, begun by the Circles, should admit only young people of proven public and private morality; it is of the opinion that they, although affiliated with the Society of Italian Catholic Youth, should be governed by a special Directive Centre, separate and distinct from the Superior Council, albeit in conformity of thought and action.”
This codified the sports activity already underway within the Catholic Circles, guided by the general president of the Italian Catholic Youth, the lawyer Paolo Pericoli. The driving force behind Catholic sports activity and true founder of the F.A.S.C.I. in its structures was Prof. Fra’ Biagio delle Scuole Cristiane, whose secular name was Stefano Sonaglia (1861–1915). At a Congress held in Rome from 5–8 October 1905 by numerous Catholic sports associations, after a demonstration was held in the presence of the Holy Father Pius X in the courtyard of the Belvedere in the Vatican, the organizing committee of the event was entrusted with directing “pro tempore” the Catholic sports associations, seeking a well-considered agreement with the pre-existing National Gymnastics Federation. After efforts at agreement were presented, the Superior Council of the Society of Italian Catholic Youth, as mentioned, gave life to the F.A.S.C.I., establishing its headquarters in Rome, granting it an annual contribution of 3,000 lire, and stipulating that the affiliated associations would have to be openly Catholic and that the Central Directive Council would consist of nine members elected by the Superior Council of the Italian Catholic Youth and nine elected by the affiliated associations.
The Statute of the F.A.S.C.I. was formalized at the Catholic Sports Congress of Oropa on 23 August 1906. By 13 March 1907, 21 sports societies were affiliated. The first president, Count Mario di Carpegna, was elected on 15 March 1907 and remained in office until 1922, after which he handed over to the lawyer Cesare Ossicini, who remained until the dissolution of the F.A.S.C.I. itself. The general president of the Italian Catholic Youth was appointed honorary president. The F.A.S.C.I. then adhered to the International Union of Catholic Works for Physical Education based in Paris, of which Count di Carpegna was appointed honorary president.
The official bimonthly sports periodical of the F.A.S.C.I., for federal acts, was *Stadium*, founded in 1906 and published in Rome (Via della Serenata, 70) at the headquarters of the F.A.S.C.I.
Each year the F.A.S.C.I. convened in Rome, generally, the national Congress of the affiliated associations to discuss problems and issues related to organization and for elections or appointments, scheduled every three years.
For ten years, that is, until the war of 1915–18, there was a succession of regional, national, and international competitions and congresses. Notable among these was the one in the Vatican and the one in 1913 with the participation of more than six thousand gymnasts. Of particular prominence after the war was the one in 1921 on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Society of Italian Catholic Youth.
Together with the Society of Italian Catholic Youth, it promoted on 17 January 1916 the establishment of the A.S.C.I. (Italian Catholic Scouting Association), and its president, Count Mario di Carpegna, became its first Central Commissioner.
The flag of the F.A.S.C.I., which is still preserved (1950) at the Central Presidency of the Italian Sports Centre (Via Conciliazione 1, Rome), is white and surmounted by the emblem of the F.A.S.C.I. itself, representing a laurel wreath supporting two stylized Etruscan fasces.
In its publishing activity, the F.A.S.C.I. produced many practical works, following a rigorous and comprehensive method.
The aims of the F.A.S.C.I., which had been summarized in the following expression: “to unite all Italian gymnastic and sports forces, safeguard their interests, strengthen their bonds, and promote their physical education, not divorced from moral and religious education,” encountered an obstacle beginning in 1923 following the creation of the National Body for Physical Education by decree no. 684, and then with the establishment of the National Opera for Dances for the physical and moral education and assistance of youth (law 3 April 1926, no. 2247) by the Fascist government. At first a covert persecution, then open and finally violent (there were many attacks on Catholic athletes and the devastation of their headquarters), this made the activity of the F.A.S.C.I. practically impossible.
Faced with this impossibility, and unable to guarantee the safety of its members, the presidency of the F.A.S.C.I., on 24 April 1927, ordered the dissolution of the Federation, leaving its associations free to adhere or not to the individual federations of the Italian National Olympic Committee (C.O.N.I.). In 1944, after the liberation of Rome, the Central Presidency of the Italian Catholic Action Youth gave life to the C.S.I. (Italian Sports Centre); thus the ancient F.A.S.C.I. was revived in new forms and structures.