Around 600 second- and third-year middle school students will not take part in Sport in Fiera 2026. The decision, made by the Teaching Board of the Middle School, has drawn a response from Christian Forcellini, president of San Marino’s National Olympic Committee (CONS), who also raised the issue before the National Sports Commission.
Forcellini described the decision as being met with “disappointment and bitterness,” explaining that the CONS had sought dialogue until the very last moment in an effort to find a solution. He was careful to stress that this was not a challenge to the school’s autonomy, but he was equally firm about the consequences: «Leaving around 600 young people out of Sport in Fiera represents, in my view, a defeat for the entire system».
At the heart of the matter is the very purpose of the event. For Forcellini, «Sport in Fiera is school», in the sense that it embodies education, socialization, respect for rules and the chance to discover new sports, as well as serving as a tool against sedentary habits and isolation.
Hence his criticism: «If in 2026 sport is still seen as time taken away from studying, then we have a problem, and we are taking a step backwards».
First-year students will take part in the event, while second- and third-years will remain at school. Forcellini imagines the question those excluded students are likely asking themselves: «Why not us?».
The CONS president now hopes the case will spark broader reflection and help rebuild dialogue between the two sides. «School and sport should not be opposing worlds, but allies in the growth of new generations», Forcellini concluded, describing what has happened as a great missed opportunity.
