Italy’s sporting fortunes transformed by immigration, sparking wider debate about identity

By Marco Antonsich, Reader in Political Geography, Loughborough University

For the second time in a row, Italy has topped the medal table at the European Athletics Championships. With a total of 22 medals (ten of them gold) Italy pipped host nation Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the top spot. Once a nation of footballers – having won the World Cup four times – now Italy is showing itself to be a nation of runners and jumpers.

There are a few explanations for how this has happened. First, Italy offers a distinctive form of public support to its athletes. Many elite sportsmen…

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