During the training sessions and the procedures before and after the training, the wheelchair curling athletes were not separated from the rest of the club life. Instead, they trained in the same facility and at the same time as the junior, women’s, and men’s teams. This meant that athletes of all backgrounds and physical abilities shared the same space, interacted regularly, and formed one community.

This structural and cultural inclusion gave us the impression that wheelchair curling is not treated as a “side discipline,” but rather as a fully integrated part of the federation and the club. The Italian team created an environment of respect, equality, and shared identity, where differences were not highlighted but embraced.

The wheelchair curlers themselves had different levels of physical impairments, yet no distinctions were made by either the coaches or the players, which contributed to the strong sense of inclusion and equality within the team itself. It is amazing to see how inclusive the club life in Cembra is!