PARIS, Fr*nce – – 

The Vatican will participate in the 2024 Summer Olympics, marking the first time the world’s smallest independent state competes in the Games. The announcement was made Wednesday by the Vatican’s newly formed Olympic Committee, which said it will send a delegation of athletes to Paris. 

Vatican officials confirmed the team will include competitors in track and field, swimming, and archery. Officials noted that the Swiss Guard will provide strong contenders in the 100-meter dash, though some have raised questions about how full ceremonial armor will fare on the track. Archery and cycling are expected to be among the Vatican’s strongest events, though there will be no chariot races this year. 

“With a delegation smaller than most single-event teams, we are hoping that our prayer regimen will give athletes a competitive edge,” said Cardinal Gianluca Peretti, head of the Vatican’s Olympic Committee. Officials have also requested quick confessional sessions for any athletes they suspect of doping, citing potential moral and mental clarity benefits. 

The Vatican will also field a synchronized baptism team, which IOC officials have confirmed is not a new sport, but is simply what they call synchronized swimming. 

Medical staff say they are prepared for injuries, though they are hopeful that divine intervention will not be required. Funding for the Vatican delegation comes entirely from church resources, with no corporate sponsors. 

The Vatican Olympic Committee was formally recognized by the International Olympic Committee earlier this year, allowing the city-state to compete under its own flag. The delegation will include athletes from the seminary and Swiss Guard, and officials say they are optimistic about representing the city-state despite its tiny population. 

As teams prepare for the opening ceremony in Paris, competitors are already exchanging words. A member of the Greek delegation reportedly remarked, “We’ll try not to outrun you too badly. Don’t want to risk another schism.” 

The Paris Olympics are set to begin July 26, 2024. The Vatican team is scheduled to enter the opening ceremony behind Greece and ahead of other European nations, carrying a flag designed with traditional Vatican colors and symbols.