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modern gladiators - calcio storico fiorentino
image © stefano pogliani
every year in june and july, amidst the traditional ceremonies, parades and authentic colorful costumes, calcio storico fiorentino - the sporting
event originally traced back over 500 years ago in florence - is held. four teams rule the show - bianchi, verdi, rossi and azzurri - each with
27 combatants, battling to reign champion. re-visiting a time where competitive sports drew blood and broken bones, the spectacle fuses a mix,
of rugby, football, boxing, mixed martial arts and greco roman wrestling into an 'everything goes' type match.
the contest is held in a giant sand pit playing field, with the goal running the width of each end, the aim being to score a point without getting
pummeled by the opponent. after 50 minutes of continuous play, the match ends, with the winning team receiving massive steaks equivalent
in weight to that of a white calf.
modern gladiators - calcio storico
video courtesy david battistella

image © stefano pogliani

image © stefano pogliani
image © stefano pogliani

image © nital
So superficial – where is the relation to design topics – is it the costumes…?
Crazy
Well, I think some things are a bit unhistorical, first most of them are very athletic and muscular, I doubt most participants were that way. Plsu the fighting style is very innacurate, some use MMA techniques, I see brazilian jujitzu take down techiniques, martial art kicks… I bet the techniques they used back then were much more clumsy and gladiatorish styled then modern MMA style…
having seen this… i have the suspicion that Silvio WILL be back.
BACK TO THE SAVAGE ERA.
i just don’t see any modernity in this.
also, don’t see any design in it. what’s next bullfight?
Perfect excuse to get intimate.
Either be a fighter, a footballer, or a rugby player – there should be no place where all 3 are encouraged at the same time. You may as well call this competition “Thugball,” as none of the 3 disciplines involved are carried out with much in the way of skill.