It is a traditional sport from the north of Italy and the south of France that takes the name of the instrument with which it is played: the tambourine. It is considered the forerunner of tennis since the similarities with this sport are multiple.

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The first written reference to the tambourine can be found in the 10th century, in the book "Cronicon Salernitarun" (author unknown) where there was talk of a ball game. Later, around the 16th century; in Antonio Scaino da Saló's book ("Trattato del giuco con la Palla"; Vinegia, MCLV) it is explained which were the most practiced games at that time and we find:  il " bracciale”, the “pallacorda” and the “palla con lo scanno”.

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The "palla con lo scanno" is considered the previous step to the use of the tambourine; when the "wooden guano" used to hit the ball is replaced by a circle covered with animal skin (lamb or pig).

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The evolution of the sport has been marked by the development of the material used, it has gone from using animal skin in its origins to plastic and synthetic fabric today.

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1890 is considered the official starting point of the tambourine. The recognition, by La Federazione Ginnastica d'Italia, as a game means that it obtains a category that is equivalent to that of sport today.

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In 1903, he dreams of the Olympics after Pierre de Coubertin talks to King Vittorio Emanuele and Pope Pius X and studies the possibility of including it in the 20 sports disciplines that will be part of the Olympic Games. Finally they don't end up being held in Rome and 15 years later a path is opened again in Amsterdam for it to be part of the Olympics as an exhibition sport, but in the end it ends up being a sport of his family: the "Jeux de Paume ".

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In 1910, the first entity was created that acts as a precursor to the FIPT (Italian Tambourine Federation): "Ente per l'organizzazione di tutti gli sport italiani che si occupano del Pallone". Later, in 1927, the FIPT was created and became one of the 33 sports federations that at that time were part of the CONI statutes.

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The sport has been practiced since the beginning of the century in Italy and France, but from the 80s the practice of sport also exists, at a much lower level,  throughout Europe: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Scotland, Belgium, San Marino, the United Kingdom, Spain and Catalonia. We also find a small minority practicing the sport in the United States of America, Brazil, Argentina, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia.