International Mixed Ability Sports (IMAS) is delighted to announce that the International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament (IMART) is returning in 2028 and will be hosted by the city of Padua and the Euganean Hills UNESCO site, Italy.
Located in the north-east region of Veneto, Padua is a historic city steeped in culture, science, arts, and ancient traditions. Spanning more than 3000 years of history – hosting one of the oldest universities in the world (est. 1222) renowned for counting Galileo amongst its professors – Padua was an important Roman city, a free City State and then part of the Republic of Venice, before becoming part of the Kingdom of Italy in 1866. The surrounding landscape is also famous for its unique volcanic origin, world-class thermal spa towns, and rich wine production.
Padova is also a household name in Italian rugby, the home of Petrarca Rugby, one of the most glorious clubs, that in the 1980’s had amongst its players figures like David Campese, David Knox, Brendan Williams and Michael Cheika.
Mixed Ability rugby is thriving too. Padova Mixed Ability Rugby was born more than 10 years ago from within Roccia Rubano Rugby (now Patavium Rugby), a historic club of the Padova province. Going from strength to strength, Padova Mixed Ability Rugby lent many players to the Harlequeens team that won the IMART women’s tournament in Pamplona.
The club led the bid to host IMART 2028, and the proposal was enthusiastically supported by Regione Veneto, Comune di Padova, Federazione Italiana Rugby, Comitato Regionale Veneto, several local councils of the Euganean Hill UNESCO site, Università di Padova, and many more sports clubs, associations, Third Sector organisations, schools, and businesses, with a strong co-production ethos and diffuse event ambitions. The goal of IMART 2028, in fact, is to ensure that the event does not remain confined to the rugby fields but becomes the catalyst for a whole community to get involved.
Fabio Bego, representing Padova Mixed Ability Rugby, said, “After the exciting experiences of Cork and Pamplona, we felt the time was right—and the team ready—to bid to host IMART 2028. And being the first in Italy to do so is a reason for great pride! True to the spirit of rugby, we believe that with everyone’s support and our own great strength, we will organise an excellent event”.
But this is not everything! IMAS is also thrilled to announce that, for the first time, we will award two IMART winners at the same time. In 2031, the tournament will be hosted in the city of Swansea, in Wales. This is a testament to the Home Nation of Wales that pioneered Mixed Ability rugby and still hosts the world’s oldest team, the Swansea Gladiators. 2031 will mark their 40th anniversary, and we believe that this is the most fitting celebration for what has become a truly international movement!
Martino Corazza, co-founder and Director at IMAS said, “We are amazed by the success of IMART and the global growth of Mixed Ability rugby in the past few years. The huge achievements of Cork 2022 and Pamplona 2025 have firmly placed IMART on the global rugby map! Padova brings a unique perspective that focuses not just on one club or one city, but has the ambition to involve a whole district in a week of unprecedented Mixed Ability events. And, with Swansea 2031, we are proud to be able to give IMART a long-term outlook, build on the foundations of each successive tournament, allowing for wider and long-lasting transformational impact”
Matt Gemine, lead of the Swansea bid, said, “As the birthplace of Mixed Ability Rugby, Swansea holds a special place in the history of the movement; we are proud and look forward to welcoming the global Mixed Ability community to Wales in 2031. Hosting IMART 2031 will hold even greater significance as it coincides with the 40th anniversary of both Swansea Gladiators RFC and Mixed Ability Rugby itself. The tournament will provide an opportunity to celebrate four decades of breaking down barriers, challenging perceptions and transforming lives through sport, while helping to shape the future of the movement.”
The expression of interest process for Mixed Ability teams to attend IMART 2028 will open in a few weeks, but following the huge success of Pamplona 2025, we are expecting more places to be reserved for Mixed Ability women’s teams, as well as parallel competitions in additional sports such as rowing, basketball, floor curling and the 5th International IMAS Conference.
For any additional information and media requests, please contact: imart@mixedabilitysports.org
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