The 21st edition of the Universities of Rome Championships officially began yesterday with a prestigious Opening Ceremony held in the historic Aula Giulio Cesare on Rome’s Capitoline Hill, bringing together university leaders, institutional representatives, student-athletes, and prominent figures from the Italian sports world.
Now entering its third decade, the Championships continue to be one of the most significant university sporting events in the capital, uniting thousands of students through competition while promoting the values of sportsmanship, respect, inclusion, and fair play.
Together with Athletics Director Marco Iorio, and Associate Dean of Students Pilar Murguia, representing John Cabot University was President Antonia Maioni, who took part in the ceremony and delivered a speech highlighting the essential role that sport plays in the university experience.
“Sport is one of the pillars of campus life. It is not a secondary activity, but an essential component of education that fosters a strong sense of belonging within a community.”
President Maioni emphasized that athletics are far more than an extracurricular activity. Sport creates opportunities for students to build meaningful connections, develop leadership skills, and strengthen their sense of belonging within a diverse and vibrant campus community. Her remarks reflected the values that guide both the Championships and the JCU Gladiators: respect, teamwork, integrity, and personal growth.
The ceremony also featured two distinguished ambassadors of Italian sport, Marco Fichera and Jacopo Giacchetti, whose presence further underscored the importance of university athletics as a pathway for both personal and athletic development.
Numerous institutional and academic authorities attended the event, including Svetlana Celli, President of the Capitoline Assembly; Luciano Crea, President of the Lazio Region Sports Commission; Alessandro Cochi, President of CONI Lazio; and Massimo Sacchetti, Rector of the University of Rome “Foro Italico.” Their participation, alongside university presidents, professors, directors, managers, and elite athletes, highlighted the growing significance of the Championships within Rome’s educational, cultural, and sporting landscape.
For more than twenty years, the Universities of Rome Championships have provided a unique platform where students from different institutions come together, compete, and create lasting connections. What began as a sporting competition has evolved into a powerful expression of community, collaboration, and shared values across Rome’s university network.
As the 2026-27 season officially gets underway, the JCU Gladiators are proud to once again represent John Cabot University among the capital’s leading institutions. Inspired by the spirit celebrated during yesterday’s ceremony, our student-athletes are ready to embrace the challenges ahead both on and off the field.
Twenty-one editions, thousands of students, and one message that remains as relevant as ever:
Sport brings people together.
