From Nassiriya to Powerchair Hockey. Warriors: a victory born of a promise

The same colours as the Carabinieri’s coat of arms – red and blue – stand out on the jerseys of the Macron Warriors Sabbioneta players, a Mantua-based team competing in what is now known as powerchair hockey, played using electric wheelchairs. It is a deep connection that intersects with the personal story of the man who built this team from scratch, Fabio Merlino, now coach and president, following a career as a player: “The team was founded in memory of my dad. Before he left for Iraq, he promised me that when he returned from his mission, he’d take me to try out hockey. Sadly, he didn’t come back, but it was thanks to him that I started playing.”

That fateful 12 November 2003, when two vehicles packed with explosives rammed into the Maestrale base in Nassiriya, Iraq. Twenty-eight people died, including Carabinieri Second Lieutenant Filippo Merlino, Fabio’s father: “We shared a passion for sport; whenever he returned from missions, we’d always go to the stadium together. It was on that very occasion that we met a group of lads from a wheelchair hockey team. Dad saw me smiling and told me he’d take me along to have a go.” Three years after that day in 2003, and following a delicate spinal operation, Fabio fulfilled the promise his dad had made to him. He started playing in Parma, where a Serie A2 team had just been formed. Shortly afterwards, he moved up to Serie A1, also becoming captain of Bologna: “I was able to grow both as a person and as a player, even managing to play in two league finals.” His ambition, however, was to set up a bigger project, right on his home turf. So, together with his mum Alessandra, he embarked on a journey of phone calls and open days, culminating in that conversation in Bologna: “We presented the team’s project to Macron’s managing director, Gialunca Pavanello, who welcomed it with great enthusiasm and put his faith in us.” On 20 September 2014, the Macron Wheelchair Warriors of Viadana were born.

It’s a sport for everyone. And for all. Powerchair hockey originated in the Scandinavian countries in the 1970s as a sport designed to encourage physical activity amongst people with severe disabilities, such as muscular dystrophy. Even those who cannot use a bat can play using the ‘stick’ – a T-shaped device attached to the sides of the wheelchair that allows the ball to be struck: “I’m very proud because today more and more young people are coming along to give it a go and are opening up to playing sport. We’re also doing a lot of work with schools to get more and more boys and girls involved and raise awareness of this sport. My aim is to create a fully accessible sports centre, ideally adjacent to schools, so that everyone can take part in physical education.” For the past five years, the Warriors have also been involved in powerchair football: “We wanted to create this mix precisely to encourage more and more young people to take up sport, get involved and set themselves goals and ambitions.”

From their early days in Serie A2, through international tournaments, to promotion to Serie A1 and winning the league title in 2023, the Macron Warriors have become a benchmark for the sport, both in Italy and abroad: “I’m very proud, not only of the results we’ve achieved at international level, but my greatest satisfaction comes from inspiring more and more young people to take up this wonderful sport.” Just as Dad would have wanted.