Macron and the Italian Rugby Federation are further strengthening their partnership by launching a collaboration as part of the FIR’s social responsibility project, ‘Rugby Oltre le Sbarre’: an initiative created with the aim of promoting the game of rugby as a tool for education and social inclusion, contributing to the resocialisation of prisoners through the practical application of the sport’s core values.
Macron, which has been actively supporting various sports-based rehabilitation programmes within prisons for several years now, has naturally embraced the “Rugby Beyond Bars” project, donating the kit and outfitting all the athletes involved. A particularly valuable aspect of the initiative lies in the organisation of coordinated events during which players from the Italian national rugby teams meet the inmates, sharing moments of play, discussion and camaraderie.
The first “Rugby Oltre le Sbarre” event of 2026 took place in Bologna and involved Giallo Dozza Bologna Rugby, a team which, thanks to specific regulations aimed at clubs involved in projects with a significant social impact, competes in the Serie C federal championship. Following speeches by Macron and representatives of the Italian Rugby Federation, the team’s players had the opportunity to take part in a series of training exercises with the ItalRugby champions in attendance: Alessandra Frangipani from the women’s national team, Simone Gesi and Jacopo Trulla from the men’s national team, and Fabio Salvanti and Nikolaj Varotto from the FIR Academy.
Angelo Marino, Chief Brand and Communications Macron: “The leadership that Macron has built up in the world of rugby is the result of a deep and genuine alignment with the values of the sport. Rugby is the sport in which the value of team spirit, serving the personal development of the individual, is most clearly evident, and the ‘Rugby Oltre le Sbarre’ project is a perfect example of this in the context of social responsibility. We are therefore proud to be part of this initiative alongside the Italian Rugby Federation, and particularly delighted that the first event has been organised right here in Bologna, involving Giallo Dozza, an extraordinary organisation with which we have been partners for several years now.”
Antonella Gualandri, Vice-President of the Italian Rugby Federation: “Rugby Beyond Bars is one of our Federation’s longest-running social responsibility projects, in which the Bologna prison team has always played a vital role, helping to inspire and consolidate this initiative. The commitment of our kit sponsor Macron and the participation of our national teams – the Azzurre and the Azzurri – who, season after season, have actively embraced this project, demonstrate how Rugby Beyond Bars has become deeply embedded in the institutional fabric of the FIR and its key stakeholders, continually enriching the initiative’s sporting and educational offering. We are proud of the commitment shown by the players, who continue to be the finest ambassadors for the unique educational and social values of our sport and who, through their social engagement and efforts to promote the sport, make us particularly proud.”.
Matteo Carassiti, President of Giallo Dozza Bologna Rugby: “The Giallo Dozza project stems from the full realisation that rugby is not just a sport, but a means of personal growth, responsibility and redemption. This ‘Rugby Beyond the Bars’ event – for which we would like to thank Macron and the Italian Rugby Federation – allows us to give even greater strength and dignity to this journey, making our players feel part of a genuine community that recognises them, supports them and believes in their daily commitment to improving themselves. This is Giallo Dozza’s greatest aim.”
Through this partnership, Macron and the Italian Rugby Federation are reinforcing their commitment to social issues, affirming rugby as a practical tool for education, personal development and inclusion – one that extends beyond the playing field and has a positive impact on the community.
Through this initiative, too, Macron reaffirms its commitment to supporting the global growth of rugby and its development at every level. This commitment has propelled the Italian brand to a leading position in the sport of rugby, where the Macron Hero logo features prominently on the shirts of three Six Nations national teams (Italy, Scotland and Wales), the most prominent clubs in Europe, and the referees and staff of World Rugby – the international governing body for 15-a-side and 7-a-side rugby – with whom the contract has recently been renewed until 2029.
The “Rugby Oltre le Sbarre” events will continue throughout 2026 in other prisons and organisations involved in the project across the country.
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