Atletico Diritti was created on September 2014 from an inspiration shared by two NGOs, Associazione Antigone and Progetto Diritti, which have been working for years protecting the rights of prisoners, refugees and migrants.

The aim when creating the team was to use sports, and football in particular, as a means of communicating the values of integration and anti-racism.

This year will be Atletico Diritti's fourth season. The official league has just started but the team was already hard at work from weeks, taking their initiative well beyond the football fields - first to Rebibbia's prison and then to the Italian Chamber of Deputies.

Football & integration in Rebibbia Prison

At the end of September, an event entitled 'No excuses, football is for integration' took place in Rebibbia Prison. It started with a round table featuring Santi Consolo (head of the prison administration), Rosella Santoro (prison director), Gennaro Migliore (under-secretary of state for justice), Stefania Lellamember (CSR office of CONI), Susanna Marietti (president of Atletico Diritti and national coordinator of Antigone) and Arturo Salerni (vice president of Atletico Diritti and president of Progetto Diritti).

The director of Banca Etica, Alessandro Messina, was also present and introduced Banca Etica's sponsorship. The new sponsor’s logo now features across the Atletico Diritti’s jersey, which was revealed during the visit to Rebibbia Prison complex. The kits were purchased thanks to the prize won within the 'Sport and Integration, the most beautiful victory' project, promoted by CONI on December 2016.

On the jersey, always in its traditional red and white, also sit the logos of the two founder associations, Antigone and Progetto Diritti, and on the back, the logo of the Roma Tre University, which since the 2014 supports the team, and the one of CILD, the Italian Coalition for Civil Liberties and Rights, which is also a partner.

After the round table, a very special triangular tournament started: Atletico Diritti played with a team of detainees and a team of prosecutors of 'Magistratura Democratica', with a defeat against the former and a victory with the latter. It was a great day of sport in the name of inclusion!

'Sign and Pass' at the Chamber of Deputies

During the #FootballPeolpe Action Weeks promoted by FARE Network, Atletico Diritti organized the initiative “No excuses - Sign and pass. Football for integration”. This relaunched in Italy the campaign #SignAndPass, #WithRefugees, ideated by FC Barcelona Foundation with UNHCR last June. Susanna Marietti and Arturo Salerni presented the campaign, with the support of Carlotta Sami from UNHCR.

“We want people across Europe to show what football can be, how it is a driving force for social change, regardless of who they are, their background, or where they live”, declared Piara Powar, Fare executive director, presenting the #FootballPeople Action Weeks of 2017.