FREEOPERA is a football team of one of Italy’s most modern detention facilities, the High Security Penitentiary of Opera, in Milan. Born out of the requests of the prisoners themselves, the team members have been chosen by the inmates.
Inmates serving life sentences play and train next to the ones who have committed minor offences, since the only criteria for participation is how good are their footballing skills. Because the time runs slowly and to be able to have an activity is a privilege, all who are allowed to be part of the Freeopera team are truly dedicated and live their days inside to be able to go to the field which they can see from the windows of the their cells.
The team has always been confined to games inside, only “home” games, but has competed against normal teams in the 3rd category National Football Federation in 2003 to try and reach the 2nd category promotion.
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