Draft:Sport in Vatican City
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(in progress draft of Sport in Vatican City)
![Thumb image](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Pope_Francis_spins_a_basketball_on_a_pencil.webp/640px-Pope_Francis_spins_a_basketball_on_a_pencil.webp.png)
Sport in Vatican City plays an important role in the culture of the nation. Outside from competitive play, it is stated as a way of promoting peace. The nation has teams that compete in athletics, cricket, cycling, football, padel, and taekwondo.
Historically, sport within the nation has existed since the 1st century, when a race track was built in ancient Rome, which is now present-day Vatican City. A few centuries later, venues across the nation were used for local sporting events, which have been attended and played by multiple popes. Following the 20th and 21st centuries, more sports organizations have been established by the nation itself and its citizens to represent the country in local and international tournaments to widen their presence in sport.
The nation has not competed in the Olympic Games as it does not have a National Olympic Committee, with Vatican Athletics serving as its unofficial one. Though the nation has supplied delegations for other multi-sport events, such as the Mediterranean Games and the Games of the Small States of Europe.