The Vatican Is Exploring Options To Send A Team To The Olympics

Big things ahead for The Vatican.

A new report by the Associated Press suggests the holy country is creating a team of Swiss guards to compete in various track and field events, possibly to make a run (no pun intended) for the Olympics. (RELATED: Remember Usain Bolt? He’s Now Running In Zero Gravity)

The team will be called The Holy See and will feature a collection of about 60 runners comprised of “Swiss Guards, priests, nuns, pharmacists and even a 62-year-old professor,” the AP writes.

The Vatican’s official Instagram account confirmed the news on Friday.

“Two honorary members include Buba Jallow of the Gambia and Amsou Visse of Senegal, young immigrants who survived the Mediterranean crossing,” the post says. “The official kickoff takes place on 20 January in Rome, for a Race dedicated to Miguel Sanchez, the Argentine runner and poet who disappeared during the dictatorship.”

 

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EN: We present Vatican Athletics, the Holy See’s first sporting association. Employees of the Vatican Museums, priests, monsignors, pharmacists, and Swiss Guards (just to name a few) form a single team. Two honorary members include Buba Jallow of the Gambia and Amsou Visse of Senegal, young immigrants who survived the Mediterranean crossing. The official kickoff takes place on 20 January in Rome, for a Race dedicated to Miguel Sanchez, the Argentine runner and poet who disappeared during the dictatorship. We’re rooting for Vatican Athletics. What about you? PT: Apresentamos Athletica Vaticana, a primeira associação esportiva da Santa Sé. Funcionários dos Museus Vaticanos, sacerdotes e monsenhores, farmacêuticos e guardas suíços (só para citar alguns) formam o time de atletas pontifícios. Há dois sócios honorários: Buba Jallow da Gâmbia e Amsou Cisse do Senegal, jovens imigrantes que sobreviveram à travessia do Mediterrâneo. A estreia oficial está prevista para o dia 20 de janeiro, em Roma, por ocasião da Corrida dedicada a Miguel Sanchez, corredor e poeta argentino desaparecido no período da ditadura. Nós torcemos pela Athletica Vaticana. E vocês?” ES: Les presentamos Athletica Vaticana, la primera asociación deportiva de la Santa Sede. Personal de los Museos Vaticanos, sacerdotes y monseñores, farmacéuticos y guardias suizos –por citar solo algunos- forman el equipo de corredores pontificios. Socios onorario, dos jóvenes migrantes que han sobrevivido a la travesía del Mediterráneo. La primera prueba oficial del equipo será el 20 de enero en Roma, en la Carrera de Miguel, dedicada al poeta y corredor argentino desaparecido Miguel Sánchez. IT: Vi presentiamo Athletica Vaticana, la prima associazione sportiva della Santa Sede. Personale dei Musei Vaticani, sacerdoti e monsignori, farmacisti e guardie svizzere (solo per citarne alcuni) formano il team dei corridori pontifici. Due i soci onorari: Buba Jallow del Gambia e Amsou Cisse del Senegal, giovani immigrati sopravvissuti all’attraversata del Mediterraneo. L’esordio ufficiale sarà il 20 gennaio, a Roma, in occasione della Corsa di Miguel. Noi tifiamo per Athletica Vaticana, e voi?

A post shared by Vatican News (@vaticannews) on Jan 10, 2019 at 7:06am PST

The team does say it plans on going to the Olympics, but it could be a long ways away.

For now, the team’s aim “is to promote through sport messages of solidarity, (and to) fight against racism and all kinds of violence,” a spokesperson tells CBS Sports.

It sounds like this could be a dream team.

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