Charity Tournament: Sport, Inclusion, and Solidarity for Fondazione Telethon

While international media attention is focused on the Olympic Games and the Paralympics are about to begin, that spirit is already alive at our school. The gym was transformed into a space where sport, inclusion, and solidarity came together thanks to a charity tournament organized by Arthur, an MYP5 student.

The initiative brought together external players, students from the school, and two wheelchair basketball teams, including athletes from the Italian national team. Their presence gave the event even deeper meaning, turning competition into an opportunity for shared awareness.

“I decided to organize this tournament at school because I wanted to turn something I love into something that could truly make a difference,” Arthur explains. “School is where we grow and learn not only subjects, but also values. And I believe solidarity is one of them. This event is not just about sport: it is a concrete way to support research into rare genetic diseases.”

All proceeds from the day will be donated to Fondazione Telethon, which funds essential projects aimed at offering new possibilities to those who live with these conditions every day.

At the heart of the project lies a deeply personal motivation. Arthur’s brother, Gabriel, an athlete on the Italian national wheelchair basketball team, lives with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, a rare genetic condition that prevents him from walking. Born in Brazil, he moved to Italy at the age of seven to undergo specialized treatments on his legs, and later relocated permanently during middle school. His introduction to wheelchair basketball was not immediate, but over time the sport became part of his identity, eventually leading him to wear the Azzurri jersey. Today he says: “I want to become the strongest basketball player in the world and earn the honor of becoming captain of the national team.”

His story powerfully illustrates how profoundly sport can shape the life of a person with mobility challenges. Not only as training or competition, but as a space for expression, autonomy, and belonging. On the court, what matters is not what is missing, but what is built: skill, character, vision, teamwork. It is there that possibilities are discovered, possibilities that often seem invisible beyond the court.

The day revolved around a 3-on-3 tournament with separate categories, wheelchair and able-bodied, to ensure broad and inclusive participation. Three-point and two-point shooting contests were also held, culminating in a final challenge between the winners of the two categories. A charity bake sale was set up at the entrance to the gym, further contributing to the fundraising efforts.

“I want this tournament to leave something meaningful with those who take part,” Arthur concludes. “Behind every diagnosis there is a person, a family, a story. And each of us, even with a small gesture, can contribute to something greater.”

At a time when Paralympic sport is preparing to return to the global spotlight, our school community has shown that inclusion, determination, and solidarity do not belong only to the world’s greatest international stages: they can also emerge and flourish within the walls of a school gymnasium.