Naturalized athletes of Italy

Fiona May, the born British two-time world champion in long jump, Italian naturalized for marriage.

The Naturalized athletes of Italy are those naturalized citizens who are part, or have been part, of the Italy national athletics team. ^[1]

The rules

Main article: Italian nationality law

The Italian Government and consequently FIDAL firstly, ^[2] and then the IAAF, grants Italian citizenship, and the Italian passport, therefore the naturalization, to those citizens of foreign origin born in Italy (Italians therefore of second generation), or who have married an Italian citizen for the following reasons. ^[3]

• Automatically
  • Ius sanguinis: for birth;
  • If an Italian citizen recognizes, at a time after birth, a minor child;
  • For adoption;
  • To obtain or re-obtain from a parent.
• Following declaration
  • By descent;
  • Ius soli: by birth or descent in Italy;
• By marriage or naturalization
  • By marriage: the foreign or stateless spouse of an Italian citizen may acquire Italian citizenship after two years of legal residence in Italy or, if residing abroad, after three years from the date of marriage;
  • By naturalization: the foreigner can apply for Italian citizenship after ten years of legal residence in Italy, reduced to five years for those who have been recognized as stateless or refugee and four years for citizens of countries of the European Community.

The list

  Italian citizen since birth

(However, in the case of children born in Italy from foreign parents, citizenship is obtained by the eighteenth birthday). ^[4]

When there is Y is last update verified naturalization.

Continent	Country of origin	Athlete	Born	Reasons
Africa	Tanzania	Lorenzo Ndele Simonelli Y	2002	Born in Dodoma, Tanzania to an Italian father (anthropologist and researcher) and a Tanzanian mother, he moved with his family to Rome at the age of 5. [5]
	Rwanda	Dominique Rovetta Gasigwa	1993	Born in Rwanda, adopted by a Brescian family at the age of 6 months. [6]
	Eritrea	Eyob Faniel Y	1992	Born in Eritrea, came in Italy in 2004, he was naturalized in 2005 at 23. [7]
	Cameroon	Jacques Riparelli Y	1983	His family (Italian father and Camerounese mother), came in Italy when he was 3. [8] [9]
		Paolo Dal Molin Y	1987	Born in Cameroun from Camerounese father and Italian mother, came in Italy when he was 10. [10] [9]
	Sudan	Raphaela Lukudo Y	1979	Born in Italy. [11]
	Somalia	Zahra Bani Y	1979	Of Italian father. [9]
		Mohad Abdikadar Y	1993	Born in Somalia, arrived in Italy in 2006 as a refugee, he is an Italian citizen since 2011. [12]
	South Africa	Marcello Fiasconaro Y	1949	Of Italian father, became Italian citizen in 1971. [13]
		Zane Weir Y	1995	Weir is Italian thanks to the roots of his maternal grandfather, from Trieste. [14]
	Nigeria	Desola Oki Y	1999	Born in Italy from Nigerian parents. [15]
		Emmanuel Ihemeje Y	1998	He born in Carrara, Tuscany from Nigerian parents but lives in Verdellino near Bergamo. [16]
		Daisy Osakue Y	1996	Born in Italy, but naturalized at 18. [17]
		Ayomide Folorunso Y	1996	Her parents live in Italy from long time. She became Italian from the age of 18. [18]
		Kevin Ojiaku Y	1989	Born in Italy from Nigerian father already Italian citizen. [19]
		Eseosa Desalu Y	1994	Born in Italy from Nigerian parents, he acquires Italian citizenship at the age of 18. [20]
		Benedicta Chigbolu Y	1989	Of Italian mother. [21]
	Côte d'Ivoire	Zaynab Dosso Y	1999	Italian citizen from 2016. [22]
		Moillet Kouakou Y	1999	Italian citizen from 2017. [23]
		Audrey Alloh Y	1987	Her parents live in Italy from long time. She became Italian from the age of 18. [9]
		Hassane Fofana Y	1992	Born in Italy from Ivorian parents, became Italian when he was eighteen. [24]
		Delmas Obou Y	1991	His Ivorian parents came in Italy in 1993, he came in 1999 and became Italian when he was eighteen. [25]
		Franck Brice Koua Y	2001	His Ivorian parents came in Italy.
	Ghana	Gloria Hooper Y	1992	Born in Italy. [9]
	Ethiopia	Merihun Crespi Y	1988	Born in Blaten, Ethiopia, adopted when he was 3 by Italian family. [26]
		Yemaneberhan Crippa Y	1996	Born in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, adopted when he was 7 by Italian family, he became Italian at 18. [12]
		Yohanes Chiappinelli Y	1997	Born in Ethiopia, adopted by Italian family, he became Italian at 18. [12]
	Tunisia	Ala Zoghlami Y	1994	Zoghlami twins come in Italy at the age of two, but became Italian just nineteeners. [27]
		Osama Zoghlami Y	1994
	Mozambique	Joao Bussotti Y	1993	Adopted by Italian father. He became Italian in from the age of 18. [28]
	Senegal	Erika Furlani Y	1996	Born in Italy from Italian father. [29]
	Morocco	Kaddour Slimani Y	1984	Become Italian citizen in 2007, at 28, per married with Wilma Biancossi. [30]
		Yassin Bouih Y	1996	Born in Italy from Moroccan parents become Italian at 18. [31]
		Laila Soufyane Y	1983	She married an Italian citizen. [32]
		Mohamed Laqouahi Y	1988	Became Italian in 2013. [33]
		Marco Najibe Salami Y	1988	Born in Italy from Moroccan father, became Italian in 2004. [34]
		Marouan Razine Y	1991	Arrived in Italy in 2000 at the age of 6, he was naturalized Italian at 22. [35]
		Yassine Rachik Y	1993	Italian citizen from 2015. [36]
		Fatna Maraoui Y	1977	Naturalized by marriage from 2003. [37]
		Nadia Ejjafini Y	1977	By marriage, [9]
		Abdoullah Bamoussa Y	1986	He became Italian from 2015. [1]
		Migidio Bourifa Y	1971	The father, of Moroccan origins, led him to be born in Morocco to provide him with a double passport. [38]
		Mostafa Errebbah Y	1971	[39]
		Abdellah Haidane Y	1989	[9]
		Jamel Chatbi Y	1984	He was a Moroccan athlete since 2009. [40]
		Ahmed El Mazoury Y	1990	Arrived in Italy at the age of 5, he was a naturalized Italian at 18. [41]
		Touria Samiri Y	1988	She became Italian from 2008 at 20. [42]
	Egypt	Ashraf Saber Y	1973	Born in Italy to an Egyptian father and a Sicilian mother. [43]
		Ahmed Abdelwahed Y	1996	Born in Rome to Egyptian parents, he became Italian at 18. [12]
	Republic of the Congo	Koura Kaba Fantoni Y	1984	He became an Italian citizen in 2002, following the adoption by the family of his trainer Milvio Fantoni. [44]
		Jean-Jacques Nkouloukidi Y	1982	Born in Rome from a family of Congolese origins (from a father), he became Italian at 18. [45]
North America	United States	Andrew Howe Y	1985	His mother married an Italian in second marriage, then he became Italian at 5 in 1990. [46]
		Jennifer Rockwell Y	1983	His grandfather was Italian. She has a double passport since the age of 29. [47]
		Marcell Jacobs Y	1994	Born in the USA from a Texan father, his mother is an Italian from Italy. [48]
		Giancarla Trevisan Y	1993	His father is Italian migrated in USA. Opted for Italian citizenship from 2017. [49]
		Nick Ponzio Y	1995	Born in San Diego in a family of Italian descent (his great-grandfather was Sicilian). Opted for Italian citizenship in 2021. [50]
	Cuba	Libania Grenot Y	1983	By marriage. [9]
		Magdelín Martínez Y	1976	She started to compete with Cuba, she became Italian by marriage in 1999. [51]
		Thaimi O’Reilly Causse Y	1976	Born in Cuba, she moved to Italy in 1999 and in 2001 she acquired citizenship by marriage. [52]
		Yusneysi Santiusti Y	1984	She came in Italy by marriage in 2007, but was naturalized only in 2013. [53]
		Yadisleidy Pedroso Y	1987	By marriage. She is an Italian citizen since 7 February 2013. [54]
		Isalbet Juarez Y	1984	His parents live in Italy from long time. She became Italian from the age of 18. [9]
	Dominican Republic	José Bencosme Y	1992	Arrived in Italy with his mother at the age of one. He became Italian from the age of 17. [9]
		Robel Garcia Y	1993	Married a Dominican-Italian and naturalized through marriage.
		Johanelis Herrera Y	1995	Born in Santo Domingo, she came in Italy in 2003 and start to run for this country in 2013. [55]
Europe	France	Fabe Dia Y	1977	She changed nationality on 2009 by marriage with the middle-distance runner Andrea Longo. [56]
	Turkey	Catherine Bertone Y	1972	Born in Turkey from Italian father and French mother. [1]
	United Kingdom	Fiona May Y	1969	By marriage with Gianni Iapichino, became an Italian citizen in 1994. [57]
		Antonio Infantino Y	1969	Born in England to his Avellinese mother and his father from Agrigento, became an Italian citizen in 2016. [58]
	Ukraine	Dariya Derkach Y	1993	Her parents live in Italy from long time. She became Italian from the age of 20. [9]
	Albania	Eusebio Haliti Y	1991	He became Italian from 2012 (21 years old). [9]
	Hungary	Judit Varga Y	1976	[56]
	Russia	Vladimir Aceti Y	1998	Adopted when he was 5 by an Italian family. [59]
Oceania	Australia	Danielle Perpoli Y	1968	Born in Australia, she began to care in this country before moving permanently to Tuscany and opting for Italian citizenship. [60]

See also

• Italy portal
• Sport of athletics portal

• List of eligibility transfers in athletics
• Italian nationality law
• Naturalization – Law in Italy
• Athletics in Italy
• Italy national athletics team
• Italy national relay team

References

1. "Quegli atleti olimpici nati all'estero e diventati italiani: le storie". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 14 July 2018.
2. "DISPOSIZIONI SU AFFILIAZIONI, TESSERAMENTI E TRASFERIMENTI 2018" (PDF) (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
3. "La cittadinanzaitaliana" (in Italian). integrazionemigranti.gov.it. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
4. he Italian law allows to obtain the Italian citizenship at the end of the eighteenth year, even if the parents, of foreign origin, are already Italian citizens and their son was born in Italy. You are Italian citizens from birth if even one of the two parents is Italian.
5. "Lorenzo Ndele Simonelli - Biografia". fidal.it (in Italian). Retrieved 8 March 2023.
6. "Rieti, nel segno di Clemente e Trost" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 15 July 2018. Basta però a precedere Dominique Rovetta Gasigwa, ragazzo di origini ruandesi adottato da una famiglia bresciana a 6 mesi
7. "Eyob Faniel Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
8. "Jacques Riparelli Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
9. "Prima Italia multietnica Il 18% di naturalizzati" (in Italian). gazzetta.ital.it. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
10. "Paolo Dal Molin Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
11. "Raphaela Lukudo Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
12. "Con 'seconde generazioni' e naturalizzati l'Atletica italiana è tutta da scoprire" (in Italian). redattoresociale.it. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
13. "Marcello Fiasconaro – tutto in 5 anni: la storia di un Cavaliere" (in Italian). fidal.it. 13 October 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
14. "Zane Weir può indossare la maglia azzurra" (in Italian). fidal.it. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
15. "Desola Oki Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
16. "Segale da record 7.88 nei 60hs" (in Italian). fidal.it. 16 February 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2021. Chiebuka Ihemeje (di origine nigeriana ma nato a Carrara, abita a Verdellino nel Bergamasco
17. "Daisy Osakue Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
18. "Ayomide Folorunso Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
19. "Kevin Ojiaku Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
20. "Eseosa Desalu Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
21. "Benedicta Chigbolu Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
22. "Zaynab Dosso Biography" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
23. "AGROPOLI: ZUECCO-KOUAKOU VELOCI COME IL VENTO, TOMMASI REGINA DEI 5000" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 26 July 2018. Moillet Kouakou: prima di oggi aveva un personale di 12"04, qui corre la finale in 11"63. Nata a Vicenza anche se è di origine ivoriana, dall'anno scorso ha ottenuto la cittadinanza italiana, vive a Valdagno
24. "Hassane Fofana Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
25. "Delmas Obou Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
26. "Merihun Crespi Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
27. "Ala Zoghlami – .D. C.U.S. PALERMO" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 7 August 2017. Una vita e una carriera svolta praticamente in parallelo con il gemello Osama, che ha vinto il bronzo sui 3000 siepi agli Europei under 23 nel 2015 davanti ad Ala...
28. "Joao Bussotti Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 12 July 2018. Joao Bussotti è emigrato in Italia dal Mozambico nel 2002 con la mamma Claudine, mentre il papà adottivo è livornese. Ha quindi ottenuto la cittadinanza optando per quella italiana al raggiungimento della maggiore età.
29. "Erika Furlani Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
30. "Kaddour Slimani Biography" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 3 March 2020. A marzo del 2007 sposa Wilma Biancossi e acquista la cittadinanza italiana.
31. "Yassin Bouih Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
32. "Laila Soufyane Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
33. "MOLFETTA (BA) : Laquouahi e Inglese vincono il titolo italiano assoluto di 10km su strada" (in Italian). trackarena.com. 22 September 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2018. ...ma il primo italiano è un po' a sorpresa Mohamed Laqouahi (Reggio Event's) in 29'19" che ha ottenuto la cittadinanza proprio quest'anno.
34. "Najibe Salami Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 2 September 2018. A causa di problemi burocratici ha dovuto attendere il luglio del 2004 per acquisire ufficialmente la cittadinanza italiana e per un ritardo di pochi giorni non-ha potuto vestire la maglia azzurra già ai Mondiali juniores di Grosseto.
35. "Marouan Razine Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 26 July 2018. Nel 2013 diventa cittadino italiano e viene arruolato nell'Esercito
36. "Yassine Rachik Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 5 July 2018. In Italia è arrivato nel 2004, vive a Castelli Calepio in provincia di Bergamo con i genitori e i fratelli... Cittadino italiano dal 15 giugno 2015
37. "Maraoui: "E' un onore esordire in azzurro"" (in Italian). fidal.it. 8 December 2006. Retrieved 5 July 2018. "Ho preso la cittadinanza per matrimonio, ma l'atletica non-c'entra niente: ho conosciuto mio marito quando non gareggiavo più, mentre lavoravo a un campo estivo. Ci siamo sposati cinque anni fa ma ho aspettato un po' prima di prendere la naturalizzazione"
38. "Migidio Bourifa: biografia e carriera podistica con i migliori risulti" (in Italian). ultramaratonemaratonedintorni.com. Retrieved 26 July 2018. ...il padre Tahar, di origini marocchine, per anni operaio specializzato in un'azienda tessile di Bergamo, lo ha portato a nascere in Marocco per fornirlo del doppio passaporto.
39. "A Carmagnola si rivede Errebbah". 4ActionSport (in Italian). 4actionsport.it. 6 September 2011. Retrieved 26 July 2018. ...il marocchino naturalizzato italiano che alla bella età di 40 anni si è aggiudicato la 21,097 km
40. "Jamel Chatbi Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 26 July 2018. Raggiunse ottimi livelli nel biennio 2008–2009, vestendo la maglia della Nazionale marocchina.
41. "Ahmed El Mazoury Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
42. "Touria Samiri Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 26 July 2018. Nel 2006 ha iniziato il percorso per ottenere la cittadinanza, coronato nel 2008
43. "MONDIALE, COLOURED: ITALIANO". la Repubblica (in Italian). 19 September 1992. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
44. "Villanova, è morto Milvio Fantoni manager dell'Atletica Mondovì". La Stampa (in Italian). 3 June 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2018. Milvio Fantoni, con la moglie Marcella, prima con l'affidamento, poi con l'adozione, si prese cura di quel giovane nato nel 1984 a Kinshasa (Repubblica Democratica del Congo)
45. "Il primo 'nuovo italiano' in pista per una medaglia". Il Sole 24 Ore (in Italian). Retrieved 28 July 2018. ...anche se sono in Italia da una vita: mio padre ha ottenuto la nazionalità italiana da un mese e mia madre da sei. Io invece sono diventato italiano appena ho compiuto i 18 anni
46. "Andrew Howe Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
47. "Jennifer Rockwell Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
48. "Marcell Jacobs Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
49. "Eccola!! Altra 400ista USA cerca un posto al sole… da italiana!" (in Italian). atleticalive.it. 17 June 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2018. Prima di diventare "italiana" ha comunque corso in 53″28 a Tucson, Arizona, ad aprile, oltre ad aver corso in 53″97 indoor proprio in questa stagione.
50. "Ponzio, the great new showman of shot putting". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
51. "Magdelín Martínez Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
52. "A Genova e Lucca primati giovani" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 15 March 2021. ...le sorti della pattuglia delle italo-cubane sono state rette da Thaimi O'Reilly. Si tratta forse della meno conosciuta tra i nuovi acquisti per matrimonio dell'atletica italiana: nata a L'Avana il 20 luglio 1976, Thaimi ha lasciato la capitale cubana nel '99, dopo essere stata soprattutto una discreta velocista, ed ha acquisito la cittadinanza italiana nel 2001.
53. "Yusneysi Santiusti Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
54. "Yadisleidy Pedroso Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
55. "Johanelis Herrera Abreu Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
56. "Transfers of Allegiance – Year 2009/2010/2011". iaaf.org. 20 April 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
57. "Fiona May: 'It's the reality of life, so just get on with it'" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2018. May switched nationality and won gold for Italy at the 1995 and 2001 World Championships.
58. "Antonio Infantino EA profile" . Retrieved 31 July 2019.
59. "Vladimir Aceti Biografia" (in Italian). fidal.it. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
60. "Italiani Master II: le F35 nel nome di Amy Fabè" (in Italian). queenatletica.it. 28 June 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2018. Il record italiano è comunque ancora lontano: è il 24"12 di un'altra naturalizzata, ovvero l'italo-australiana Danielle Perpoli

External links

• Cunliffe, Fiasconaro, Grenot, Martinez e gli altri: l’emigrazione sportiva, fenomeno globalizzato
• La cittadinanza italiana at Italian Government web site (in Italian)