Discover New Sports XV: Volata

Volata is another short lived sport that combined football and handball in an intriguing hybrid combination. 

The term Volata means ‘sprint’ in Italia and was developed in fascist Italy as a substitute for association football and rugby union as 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 Rome on 6 January 1929. One year on and a Federation of Giuoco della Volata (FIGV) was established and started a national championship, with over 100 teams.

The sport’s success however was very short lived. Failing to catch on in acfootball-mad Italy abandoned in 1937, under 10 years from its initial creation.

Rules

Volata includes both the hybrid rules from those for football and handball.

Although other references claim 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.

The ball could be played by using hands and feet, but for no more than three seconds.

By Liam Curtis

Italian Flag by Floris M. Oosterveld