Position/Role

Former athlete, footall champion. TV commentator and pundit.

Professional career

Katia Serra began her career as a footballer (winger midfielder), making her debut in Serie B in 1986 with the Bazzano club, later renamed Bologna CF. She played for numerous top-tier national football clubs in Serie A, ending her career in the Spanish league in 2010 (the second Italian female footballer to play abroad). Her career was affected by numerous surgeries starting in her adolescence and frequent injuries. Her achievements include 1 Scudetto, 3 Coppa Italia titles, 1 Italian Super Cup, 1 Italy Women's Cup, scoring a total of 125 goals. She wore the Azzurri jersey (25 appearances and 1 goal).

In 2002, she obtained a degree in Exercise Science after the I.S.E.F. diploma, became a Personal Trainer, and in football, she obtained UEFA A coaching qualifications, Sports Director (achieving a 110 with honors, the first and only woman), Match Analyst, in addition to acquiring certifications in managerial management.

Simultaneously with her career on the field, she held various work experiences in football, as an athletic trainer and youth coach. As a coach, she was the U.15 champion of Italy with the Emilia Romagna representative in 2002. As a manager, she was initially the Delegate of the Youth Sector for women's football at C.R.E.R. 1999 - 2003 (first in history), then held various roles in the AIC (Italian Footballers Association) as a representative of female footballers, becoming the first Councilor (2009-2011) and subsequently the first Head of the Women's Sector (2013-2020), contributing to building and guaranteeing rights and protections up to the achievement of professionalism. For the FICG (Italian Football Federation), she was a Federal Councilor (2006-2009), trainer of coaches (2015-2021), and member of the Women's Football Development Commission (2015-2019). Since 2015, she has been coaching the parliamentary women's national football team.

After ending her competitive activity, she tried her hand as a commentator in a role previously precluded to a woman. Thus, since 2010, she has been a technical commentator and opinionist in TV programs for Rai, with a stint at Sky Italia in the 2018/19 season. She has commented on numerous European and World Championships, both women's and men's, including youth competitions, and has been a regular guest on cult programs (Il Grande Match, 90°Minuto, Dribbling Europei, Sabato Sprint, La Giostra del Gol). She was the first and only female technical voice of the Italian U.21 national team (2021-2023) and of the men's A national team in the victorious Italy-England final in Wembley (2021), as well as having commented on the recent QATAR WORLD CUP for RADIO RAI (2022), after a virtuous path that saw her as a pioneer in the matches of the Serie A Tim championships (for Sky), the Tim Cup, Serie B, Lega Pro, Primavera and the Italian youth national teams. For women's football, she comments on the Serie A championship and the Italian National Team.

Since 2018, she has been the professor of the course "Models of Women's Football Management" at the Degree Course in Exercise Sciences, specializing in Football, at the San Raffaele Telematic University of Rome and Milan, and since 2023 she has been teaching "Sport, Communication and Gender" at the Master in Communication and Sports Marketing of ALMA MATER of Bologna.

She collaborates with companies as a testimonial and as a consultant on the technical aspects of football.

Editorial work and publications

Television commercial for Nastro Azzurro beer - Filmaster - "Partitone, perché no?", 1998

Articles for the AIC monthly magazine "Il Calciatore", 2011-2020

Book "Football is Woman" - stories and faces of the Azzurre protagonists, AIC Publisher, 2013

"Watermelons, Books and Balls" - written by Sandro Santori, contains the story titled "Katia", published by Libri di Sport, 2006

A Life in Offside. Chronicles from the world that everyone thinks they know. With contributions from Arrigo Sacchi, Lele Adani and Damiano Tommasi. Fabbri Editore, 2023.

2023 Radio commercial for TeamSystem Premium, partner of the Italian national football teams - Klein Russo agency, audio production by Eccetera, producer Two Men Band.

Awards and prizes

2024 47th Silver Microphone Award, Sports and Journalism Prize

2021 Honorary Citizenship of Anzola Dell'Emilia

2007 Best Footballer Oscar of national Football

2002 Bronze Medal for athletic valor CONI

Position/Role

• Former athlete and marathon champion.

Professional career

Valeria Straneo has always been a lover of long-distance running, which she has practised since she was young. She was born with hereditary spherocytosis, a genetic disorder of the red blood cell membrane that leads to severe anaemia, splenomegaly, jaundice and biliary stones. In 2010, following a severe haemolytic crisis, she underwent surgery and had her spleen and gallbladder removed. After recovering from the operation, she turned out to be a very strong long-distance runner: in 2012, she set the current Italian marathon record (2h23'44" in Rotterdam), won several Italian half-marathon and 10,000-metre titles, took part in two Olympic Games (London 2012, Rio 2016), won a world silver medal (Moscow 2013) and a European silver medal (Zurich 2014). Between 2012 and 2014, he took part in several international competitions and won the Stramilano, the Rock'n roll half-marathon in Lisbon, the half-marathon at the Mediterranean Games in Mersin (Turkey) and placed 5th at the NYC Marathon.

Editorial work and publications

Valeria Straneo is the author of an autobiographical book with Marco Tarozzi: Valeria fa 'gli' Olimpiadi, Minerva Edizioni 2014; she is the author of the column Di corsa con Valeria in Runners' World magazine.

Awards and prizes

2018, Certificate of merit by the municipality of Alessandria

2014, Silver Medal of Athletic Valor (Coni)

2013, Bronze Medal of Athletic Valor (Coni)

2013, Athlete of the year Fidal

2013, Piedmont Athlete of the year

Position/Role

Former athlete, shooting champion. National Technical Director. Vice-President of the CONI National Technical Commission

Professional career

Valentina Turisni began her career in the national shooting range in 1986. In 2000 she joined the Federal Executive Council, from which he resigned in 2009. She won the silver medal in the discipline 50m rifle three positions at the Athens Olympics in

2004. In 2009 she became Technical Director of the men's and women's national teams of the

Italian Union of Schooting, a profession that she carries on until the end of 2022.

She deals with the training of federal coaches as Head of coaches’ education and Teacher.

She holds a degree in law and is a qualified lawyer.

Editorial work and publications

Manuale di Tiro con la carabina(Rifle Shooting Manual)Edizioni UITS, 2010

Awards and prizes

2004, Gold medal for athletic valor in the Corpo Forestale dello Stato

2004, CONI Gold Medal for Athletic Valor

2004,Official Order of Merit of the Italian Republic

2012, CONI Golden Palm for Technical Merit

2013, CONI Sports Merit Gold Star

2014, Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic

Position/Role

Professor of Labour Law, Director of the Master's Degree Course in 'Sports Law and Labour Relations in Sport' and of the Executive Course of Higher Education 'The Profession of the Sports Agent' at the University of Milan-Bicocca.

Professional career

After graduating in Law at the University of Milan and obtaining a PhD in Labour Law and Industrial Relations at the University of Pavia, Tiziana Vettor began her academic career as a research fellow at the Faculty of Law of the University of Insubria. In 2004, she became a researcher in Labour Law at the University of Milan-Bicocca, where she continued her career, becoming an associate professor in 2006.

Scientific results

In her university activities she has held various positions, including that, assigned to her by rector's decree, of "President of the Single Guarantee Committee" in the years 2014-2018. By decree of the Minister for Youth Policy and Sport of 30/1/2020, she was appointed 'Expert' to carry out the activity of drafting the reform of the sports legal system. She is the author of numerous scientific publications, including the volume entitled Conciliare vita e lavoro. La prospettiva del diritto del lavoro dopo il Jobs Act, published by Giappichelli.

Editorial work and publications

[2023] Vettor T, La nuova riforma del lavoro sportivo: prime analisi alle disposizioni integrative e correttive al d.lgs. n. 36/2021 (d.lgs. n. 163/2022). MASSIMARIO DI GIURISPRUDENZA DEL LAVORO, (1): 127-146.

[2022] Vettor T, Pari opportunità, lavoro e agenti nel settore sportivo. In: (a cura di): Pittalis M, Ripartire con lo sport: impianto valoriale di una riforma “in progress”, Milano, Ledizioni: 53-61.

[2022] Vettor T, La proposta di Direttiva sul lavoro tramite piattaforma nel prisma delle fonti internazionali ed europee. LAVORO DIRITTI EUROPA, (2): 1-9.

[2019] Vettor T, Il diritto della sicurezza sociale alla prova delle trasformazioni familiari. RESPONSABILITÀ CIVILE E PREVIDENZA, (5): 1475-1484.

[2018] Vettor T, Conciliare vita e lavoro. La prospettiva del diritto del lavoro dopo il Jobs Act. STUDI DI DIRITTO DEL LAVORO. Collana fondata da L. Galantino e S. Hernandez e diretta da F. Basenghi e G. Pellacani, Torino, Giappichelli, (42): 1-152.

[2018] Vettor T, Il reddito di inclusione: quale sostegno contro la povertà?. In: (a cura di): Ferrante V, Economia informale e strategia di contrasto: a che punto siamo?, Milano, Vita e pensiero: 43-68,

[2017] Vettor T, Attualità e prospettive delle esigenze di cura, di vita e di lavoro. In: (a cura di): D'Amico M, Leone S, La donna dalla fragilitas alla pienezza dei diritti? Un percorso non ancora concluso. CENTRO DI RICERCA COORDINATO STUDI SULLA GIUSTIZIA, Milano, Giuffrè: 221-242.

[2016] Vettor T, Salute e sicurezza. Valutazione dei rischi e differenze di genere. In: (a cura di): Bianchini M, Calegari A, Gioia G, Dialogo tra Corti e nuove frontiere della responsabilità. PUBBLICAZIONI DELLA SCUOLA DI GIURISPRUDENZA DELL'UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVA. NUOVA SERIE, (VI), Milano, Wolters Kluwer CEDAM: 563-584.

[2015] Vettor T, Beni primari (cibo, acqua) e lavoro umano sostenibile. In: (a cura di): Biscotti B, Lamarque E, Cibo e acqua. Sfide per il diritto contemporaneo. Verso e oltre Expo 2015. COLLANA DEL DIPARTIMENTO DI GIURISPRUDENZA DELL'UNIVERSITÀ DI MILANO-BICOCCA, Torino, Giappichelli, (121): 113-118.

[2013] Vettor T, Le donne lavoratrici. In: (a cura di): Cendon P, Rossi S, I nuovi danni alla persona. I soggetti deboli. DIRITTO. ORIZZONTI, Roma, Aracne, (1): 587-648. 

[2011] Vettor T, Die Praxis rassistischer Gesetze zwischen Vergangenheit und Gegenwart. In: (a cura di): Garlati L;Vettor T, Das Recht und die Rechtsschandung. 70 Jahre nach dem Erlass der italienischen Rassegesetze, Berlin, Lit Verlgag: 35-51.

[2009] Vettor T, Uguaglianza e diritto del lavoro. In: (a cura di): Cartabia M, Vettor T, Le ragioni dell'uguaglianza. Atti del VI Convegno della Facoltà di Giurisprudenza. Università di Milano-Bicocca, 15-16 maggio 2008. UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI MILANO-BICOCCA (FACOLTÀ DI GIURISPRUDENZA), Milano, Giuffrè, (58): 199-208.

Awards and prizes

1997, "Maria Grazia Zerman" Award, called by the Association for Women's Studies "Maria Grazia Zerman", with a research project entitled: "Women's self-employment: the presence and originality of women in work".

2000, Prize "Progetto giovani ricercatori", announced by the University of Insubria, with a research project entitled: "Self-employed work: qualifying profiles and discipline to protect health and safety".

Position/Role

Associate Professor MEDF/02 Methods and Techniques of Motor and Sports Activities, Delegate of the Rector for Sport, and President of the Didactic Area of Motor Science Degree Courses, at the University of L'Aquila. Vice-President of the Municipal Sports Council for the Municipality of L'Aquila.

Professional career

In 1984, she obtained the Higher Diploma of Physical Education Teacher at the Higher Institute of Physical Education (ISEF) of L'Aquila; in 1993,s he obtained the Degree in Motor Sciences with specialization in "Sciences et techniques des activities phisique et sportives , at the Faculty of Sports Science (UFR-STAPS) of the Claude Bernarde University of Lyon, France; in 1999, she specialized in "Evaluation of the Athlete's Physical Capacity" at the State Institute of Physical Education in Rome. Since 1986 she has been teaching in the middle school of the first and second grade, obtaining qualifications in all sectors, also in the primary school, at the same time, she was a contract professor from 1985 to 1999 at the ISEF of Aquila, and subsequently, after having collaborated with the transformation of the ISEF into the Faculty of Motor Sciences (1999/2000), in March 2005, winner of the competition, she leaves school teaching, and enters the University of L'Aquila as a researcher. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Degree Courses in Motor Sciences of the Department of Applied Clinical Sciences and Biotechnology (DISCAB). She is engaged in numerous research activities that she has always carried out during the years of contract teaching and promotes innovative Projects for Exercise and Sports Sciences. You are a lecturer in the PhD Board and in the Schools of Specialization. You have numerous participations in International Conferences and Congresses as Invited Speaker.

Scientific results

Maria Giulia Vinciguerra's research topics concern motor and sports activity related to morpho-functional changes in the human organism, the evaluation of problems related to the osteo-muscular-ligament apparatus and postural problems, and the screening of vertebral deformities in the secondary school population.
She has carried out research for the study, screening and prevention of atherosclerosis; for the development of physical and motor activity programmes for the prevention of cardiovascular and dysmetabolic diseases; for the development of motor tables as part of LONFLIT projects, and for the development of procedures for the recognition of the symmetry line of backs acquired by means of 3D scanners. She has studied the effects of Pycnogenol in motor/sports performance; anthropometric characteristics, dietary habits and physical activity in young people, in a longitudinal perspective; lifestyle habits in young L'Aquila rugby players before and after the 2009 earthquake. 
She participated in the following projects:

• Abruzzo Regional Project "Let's Move"
• Abruzzo Regional/CONI "Scuola in Movimento" project
• 2014-2018 Regional Prevention Plan project "Promoting physical exercise through the creation of a network of territorial gyms". 
• Ateneo in Movimento ed in Salute" project
• European Project "Anti Bulling Beach Golf". 

Editorial work and publications

Books

R Scaramucci, M.G. Vinciguerra. 2016.Dizionario delle Scienze Motorie e Tecnica dell'Educazione Fisica, Viterbo: Casa Editrice Serena.

P. Raimondi, F. Bizzarri, G. Costanzo, M.G.Vinciguerra. 2001. Proteggi la tua schiena, Roma: Marrapese Editore.

International Scientific Articles

Bonavolonta, Valerio, Gallotta, Maria Chiara, Zimatore, Giovanna, Curzi, Davide, Ferrari, Dafne, Vinciguerra Maria Giulia, Guidetti, Laura, Baldari, Carlo (2023). “Chronic Effects of Asymmetric And Symmetric Sport Load In Varsity Athletes Across A Six Month Sport Season”. International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health. 20(3):2186. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20032186. PMID: 36767552; PMCID: PMC9916379.

La Greca, Stefano, Rapali, Mariano, Ciaprini, Giuliano, Russo, Luca, Vinciguerra Maria Giulia, Di Giminiani, Riccardo (2022). “Acute and Chronic Effects of Supervised Flexibility Training in Older Adults: A Comparison of Two Different Conditioning Programs”. International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health. 19(24):16974. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192416974. PMID: 36554854; PMCID: PMC9779245.

Riva A, Corti A, Belcaro G, Cesarone MR, Dugall M, Vinciguerra G, Feragalli B, Zuccarini M, Eggenhoffner R, Giacomelli L. 2019. “Interaction study between antiplatelet agents, anticoagulants, diabetic therapy and a novel delivery form of quercetin”. Minerva Cardioangiol.  67(1):79-83. doi: 10.23736/S0026-4725.18.04795-3. 

Belcaro G, Hu S, Strong J, Feragalli B, Vinciguerra G, Cacchio M, Cesarone MR. 2018. “Sports supplement in short triathlon: improvements in training, performance, recovery and oxidative stress”. Minerva Med. 109(6):451-456. 

Vinciguerra, MG; Belcaro, G. 2015. Cacchio Robuvit® and endurance in triathlon: improvements in training performance, recovery and oxidative stress. Minerva Cardilogica. 63(5):403-9.

Vinciguerra G, Belcaro G, Bonanni E, Cesarone MR, Rotondi V, Ledda A, Hosoi M, Dugall M, Cacchio M, Cornelli U. 2013 “Evaluation of the effects of supplementation with Pycnogenol® on fitness in normal subjects with the Army Physical Fitness Test and in performances of athletes in the 100-minute triathlon”. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 53(6):644-54.

Bottari A, Belcaro G, Ledda A, Cesarone MR, Vinciguerra G, Di Renzo A, Stuard S, Dugall M, Pellegrini L, Errichi S, Gizzi G, Ippolito E, Ricci A, Cacchio M, Ruffini I, Fano F, Hosoi M. 2012. “Lady Prelox® improves sexual function in post-menopausal women”. Panminerva Med. 54(1 Suppl 4):3-9.

Valenti M, Vinciguerra MG, Masedu F, Tiberti S, Sconci V. 2012. “A before and after study on personality assessment in adolescents exposed to the 2009 earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy: influence of sports practice”. BMJ Open. 2(3): e000824.

Di Angelo L., Di Stefano P., Raimondi P., Vinciguerra M. G. 2011. “Validation of a method for symmetry line detection”, Computer-Aided Design And Applications. 8 (1): 71-86.

Cesarone MR, Belcaro G, Rohdewald P, Pellegrini L, Ledda A, Vinciguerra G, Ricci A, Ippolito E, Fano F, Dugall M, Cacchio M, Di Renzo A, Hosoi M, Stuard S, Corsi M. 2010 “Improvement of signs and symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency and microangiopathy with Pycnogenol: a prospective, controlled study”.Phytomedicine. 17(11):835-9. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2010.04.009. 

Belcaro G, Cesarone MR, Errichi S, Zulli C, Errichi BM, Vinciguerra G, Ledda A, Di Renzo A, Stuard S, Dugall M, Pellegrini L, Gizzi G, Ippolito E, Ricci A, Cacchio M, Cipollone G, Ruffini I, Fano F, Hosoi M, Rohdewald P.2008. “Variations in C-reactive protein, plasma free radicals and fibrinogen values in patients with osteoarthritis treated with Pycnogenol”. Redox Rep. 13(6):271-6.

Position/Role

Researcher at the University of Verona, Teaching College of Sport Sciences, Sport Psychologist, Past President of the Italian Association of Sport, and Exercise Psychology (AIPS).

Professional career

Francesca Vitali is Researcher (Junior Researcher, RTD-A) and Assistant Professor at the University of Verona, Italy, where she has been since 2010. She obtained her Ph.D. in Methodology of research in psychology in 2003 at the University of Genoa, Italy. She has been teaching Sport and Exercise Psychology for ten years at the School of Sport Sciences, University of Genoa. In 2014 she won a Research Grant, and she started collaborating with CeRiSM (Centre of Research in Sport, Mountain and Health), University of Verona. From 2015 to 2019 she has been Research Fellow at the University of Verona.

She has been the Scientific Coordinator for the University of Verona Team of the co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union projects Be a Winner In elite Sport and Employment before and after athletic Retirement (BeWiser) and Dual Careers for Mental Health (DC4MH): the projects were focused respectively on optimizing active and former elite athletes’ employability and employment after sport retirement and on improving mental health for dual career elite athletes. She is also the Scientific Coordinator of the co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union project Sport Without Stereotypes (SWOST): this project started in January 2021 and will end in December 2023.

Together with Federico Schena, since the academic year (a.y.) 2017/2018 she is the Scientific Director of the Academic Coach project, a peer-tutorship project offered at the students-athletes of the University of Verona. From the a.y. 2020/2021 she is the Scientific Director of the new dual career program of the University of Verona. The project is promoted and implemented thanks to the coordination of the CUS Verona, the University Sports Committee of the University of Verona and the ESU Verona. The project is aimed at supporting the dual career of the students-athletes of the University of Verona.

She chaired the XXth AIPS 2014 National Congress which has been held in Rovereto, Italy. She co-chaired the XXIth AIPS 2016 National Congress which has been held in Bologna, Italy. From 2014 to 2016 she has been the National President of the Associazione Italiana Psicologia dello Sport e dell'esercizio (AIPS).

As Sport Psychologist she has been working with youth top-level athletes of different sports (i.e., Shooting Italian Olympic Youth National Team; Italian Junior Cross Country Skiing Team; Track and Field Youth National Team). She collaborates as Expert with the School of Sport of Sport and Health (Sport e Salute) and Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI). Since 2019 she has a “Consultancy with training assignment” collaboration with the Italian Rugby Federation. Since 2017 she is responsible of the Center of studies of the Assist - the Italian Association of Female Athletes.

Scientific results

She has published/in press several research articles and book chapters. Her research agenda has been on the understanding of the motivational processes and prevention of early youth dropout from sports; psychosocial benefits of sport and physical activity for patients and people with and without disabilities;psychobiosocial (PBS) states and motivational processes in Physical Education; psychological aspects in sport-injury recovery; student-athlete dual career and career transitions; enhancement of the attentive strategies and optimization of performance in endurance sports.

Editorial work and publications

Francesca Vitali is currently the Editor for the Psicologia dello Sport e dell'Esercizio (En. tr. Sport and Exercise Psychology), the new official journal of the Associazione Italiana Psicologia dello Sport e dell'esercizio (AIPS, Italian Association of Sport and Exercise Psychology) (which replaced the Giornale Italiano di Psicologia dello Sport), and author of numerous scientific publications, including:

Borrueco, M., Torregrossa, M., Pallarès, S., Vitali, F., & Ramis, Y. (2023). Women coaches at top level: looking back through the maze. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 18, 327-338 (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541221126614).

Modena, R., Bisagno, E., Schena, F., Carazzato, S., & Vitali, F. (2022). How do elite female athletes cope with symptoms of their pre-menstrual period? A study on Union Rugby and Football players’ perceived physical ability and well-being. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, 11168 (DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811168).

Bisagno E., Cadamuro A., Rubichi S., Robazza C., & Vitali, F. (2022). A developmental outlook on the role of cognition and emotions in youth volleyball and artistic gymnastics. Frontiers in Psychology 13:954820. (DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.954820).

Vitale, J. A., Ieno, C., Baldassarre, R., Bonifazi, M., Vitali, F., La Torre, A., & Piacentini, M. F. (2022). The impact of a 14-day altitude training camp on Olympic-level open-water swimmers’ sleep. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, 4253. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19074253).

Vitali, F., Bisagno, E., Coco, M., Cadamuro, A., Maldonato, N. M., & Di Corrado, D. (2022). A moderated mediation analysis of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on well-being and sport readiness of Italian team sports players: The role of perceived safety of the training environment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, 2764. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19052764).

Speranza, E., Bolzan, V., Roi, G. S, & Vitali, F. (2021). Impact of telerehabilitation after sports injuries on psychological outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Medicina dello Sport, 74, 657-171. (DOI: 10.23736/S0025-7826.21.03909-0).

Smismans, S., Wylleman, P., De Brandt, K., Defruyt, S., Vitali, F., Ramis, Y., Torregrossa, M., Lobinger, B., Stambulova, N., & Cecić Erpič, S. (2021). From elite sport to the job market: Development and initial validation of the Athletes’ Competences Questionnaire for Employability (ACQE). Cultura, Ciencia y Deporte, 16, 39-48. (DOI: 10.12800/ccd.v16i47.1694).

Purgato, M., Richards, J., Prina, E., Kip, A., Del Piccolo, L., Michencigh, G., Rimondini, M., Rudi, D., Vitali, F., Carta, M. G., Morina, N., Schena, F., & Barbui, C. (2021). Physical activity interventions on psychological outcomes in refugee, asylum seeker and migrant populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 54 (DOI: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.101901).

Bisagno, E., Morra, S., Basciano, M., Rosina, C., & Vitali, F. (2019). Assessing individual performance in team sports: A new method developed in youth volleyball. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 4, 53 (DOI: 10.3390/jfmk4030053).

Di Battista, R., Robazza, C., Ruiz, M. C., Bertollo, M., Vitali, F., & Bortoli, L. (2019). Student’s Intention to Practice Physical Activity: The Interplay of Task-involving Climate, Competence Needs Satisfaction, and Psychobiosocial States in Physical Education. European Physical Education Review, 25, 761-777. (DOI: 10.1177/1356336x18770665).

Vitali, F., Tarperi, C., Cristini, J., Rinaldi, A., Zelli, A., Lucidi, F., Schena, F., Bortoli, L., & Robazza, C. (2019). Action monitoring through external or internal focus of attention does not impair endurance performance. Frontiers in Psychology10:535. (DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00535).

Vitali, F., Robazza, C., Bortoli, L., Bertinato, L., Schena, F., & Lanza, M. (2019). Enhancing fitness, enjoyment, and physical self-efficacy in primary school children: a DEDIPAC naturalistic study. PeerJ, 7:e6436. (DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6436).

Professional career

A visually impaired Paralympic alpine skier due to oculocutaneous albinism, she made her debut at the World Para Alpine Skiing Championships held in Lillehammer 2021, in Norway, where she won the bronze medal in slalom, along with her guide Ylenia Sabidussi.

She thus qualified to compete in the 2022 Winter Paralympics held in Beijing, China, where she was the youngest Italian athlete with 18 years still to come.

At the 2023 World Championships in Espot, she won the silver medal in the downhill and super-G; in that same 2022-2023 season she won the Super-G World Cup.

The 2023/2024 season was the one of return from the injury of the rupture of the cruciate, collateral and meniscus. It was a season to regain confidence and self-assurance, where however she won several podiums in the World Cup.

Main goals now are the World Championships and then the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics.

Her palmares includes:

Paralympic Games: 2022 Beijing, 8th Giant Slalom.

World Championships: 2023 Espot (ESP), 2nd Downhill; 2nd Super-G; 2022 Lillehammer (NOR), 3rd Slalom.

World Cup: 2025 Santa Caterina (ITA) 1st and 2nd Downhill, 2025 Feldberg (GER) 3rd Slalom, 2024 Sella Nevea (ITA), 2nd Giant Slalom; 2024 Wildschoenau (AUT), 3rd Slalom, 3rd Slalom; 2024 Sapporo (JPN), 2nd Slalom, 2nd Slalom; 2024 Cortina (ITA), 2nd Downhill, 3rd Slalom; 2024 Veysonnaz (SUI), 2nd Super G, 2nd Giant; 2023 Saalbach (AUT), 1st Super G; 2nd Downhill; 2023 Veysonnaz (SUI), 2nd Giant Slalom, 3rd Giant Slalom, 3rd Slalom; 2021 Steinach am Brenner (AUT), 2nd SuperG; 2021 St. Moritz (SUI), 3rd Giant.

European Cup: 2024 Folgaria (ITA), 1st Giant Slalom, 1st Slalom; 2021 Resterhole (AUT), 4th Slalom (best result).

Position/Role

Associate Professor of Methods and didactics of sporting activities at the University of Ferrara; vice-coordinator of the MSc in Sport Sciences at the University of Ferrara.

Professional career

Luciana Zaccagni graduated with honours in Natural Sciences in 1991 from the University of Bologna; she obtained her PhD in Anthropological Sciences in 1995 discussing a thesis entitled "Anthropometric characteristics and sports performance in high-level volleyball players" at the University of Bologna; in the academic year 1995-1997 she obtained a post-doctoral scholarship with a research project entitled "Determination of biological age in former athletes" at the University of Bologna. From 2001 to 2008 she was a tenured secondary school teacher. From 2008 to 2020 she was a Confirmed Researcher in SSD M-EDF/02 Methods and Didactics of Sporting Activities at the University of Ferrara and from 2020 to present Associate Professor in the same SSD.

Scientific results

Luciana Zaccagni's research activity focuses on the relationship between anthropometric characteristics and sports performance for aptitude selection and to provide indications for improving performance, and on the association between lifestyle (especially the practice of physical activity and/or sports), weight status, and body image perception to highlight strategies for the prevention of overweight and obesity in the population.

Editorial work and publications

[2001] Gualdi-Russo E, Zaccagni, L. Somatotype, role and performance in elite volleyball players. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 41(2):256–262.

[2012] Zaccagni L. Anthropometric characteristics and body composition of Italian national wrestlers. European Journal of Sport Science, 12(2):145–151.

[2012] Barbieri D, Zaccagni L, Cogo A, Gualdi-Russo E. Body composition and somatotype of experienced mountain climbers. High Altitude Medicine and Biology, 13(1):46–50.

[2016] Rinaldo N, Zaccagni L, Gualdi-Russo E. Soccer training programme improved the body composition of pre-adolescent boys and increased their satisfaction with their body image. Acta Paediatrica, International Journal of Paediatrics, 105(10):492–495.

[2017] Barbieri D, Zaccagni L, Babić V, ...Mišigoj-Duraković M, Gualdi-Russo E. Body composition and size in sprint athletes. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 7(9):1142–1146.

[2019] Zaccagni L, Lunghi B, Barbieri D, ...Bernardi F, Gualdi-Russo E. Performance prediction models based on anthropometric, genetic and psychological traits of Croatian sprinters. Biology of Sport, 36(1):17–23.

[2019] Zaccagni L, Rinaldo N, Gualdi-Russo E. Anthropometric indicators of body image dissatisfaction and perception inconsistency in young rhythmic gymnastics. Asian Journal of Sports Medicine, 10(4):e87871.

[2019] Gualdi-Russo E, Rinaldo N, Pasini A, Zaccagni L. Hand preference and performance in basketball tasks. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(22):4336.

[2020] Rinaldo N, Toselli S, Gualdi-Russo E, Zedda N, Zaccagni L. Effects of anthropometric growth and basketball experience on physical performance in pre-adolescent male players. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(7):2196.

[2021] Rinaldo, N, Gualdi-Russo E, Zaccagni L. Influence of size and maturity on injury in young elite soccer players. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(6):3120.

[2021] Toselli S, Campa F, Latessa PM,...Grigoletto A, Zaccagni L. Differences in maturity and anthropometric and morphological characteristics among young male basketball and soccer players and non-players. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(8):3902.

[2023] Zaccagni L, Gualdi-Russo E. The Impact of Sports Involvement on Body Image Perception and Ideals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(6): 5228.

Awards and prizes

In 2011, she won an award for Best Poster at the 19th Congress of the Italian Anthropological Association (AAI), with 'Anthropometric characteristics and body composition of the football player in relation to the game level', by L. Zaccagni, Turin, 21-24 September.