Because
two of the four teams that usually compete in the Calcio Storico forfeited their
places in the traditional showdown this year, local officials decided to cancel
Calcio Storico 2010.
As (almost) every year, the first game was to be held on June 12, with
the finals on June 24 in piazza Santa Croce.
To replace the cancelled games, the city quickly organized other sports
events as well as a parade and exhibition of flag-throwers on June 12 and 13.
Also organized were a friendly rugby tournament with players under 12, with the
participation of the Rugby Firenze 1981, Cavalieri Prato, Gipsi Prato, Bombo
Rugby and Sesto Rugby teams, and a soccer match between city council members
and former Viola players.
The city will
continue to celebrate sports in Santa Croce through June. A friendly game of
Calcio Storico between the Bianchi and Azzurri teams will be held on June 24.
Other events include beach volleyball, horseback riding, a parade and an
exhibition by local flag-throwers on June 28.
From June 18 to 20, Santa Croce will be the venue of one of the two
Italian stops in the international beach volleyball circuit. Men’s and women’s
national volleyball teams from Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Bolivia, Canada, the
United States, Slovenia, the Ukraine, Switzerland, Spain, Korea, Camerun, Mali
and Italy will battle it out in the famed square over the three-day period.
Tickets to watch
beach volley ball games cost one euro; entrance to the equestrian show is 5
euro, and the event featuring flag-throwers costs two euro, with free entrance
to all events for those 14 years and under.
For more
information on the events in Santa Croce, see www.comune.fi.it
