By Emily G Roe and Julien Pretot
BEIJING (Reuters) – Arianna Fontana, the short track speed skater with most Olympic medals, threatened on Tuesday not to take part in her home Games in Milan and Cortina in 2026 if a dispute with the Italian skating federation is not resolved.
The 31-year-old, who made her Olympic debut in 2006 in Turin, has 10 Olympic medals after retaining her title https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/short-track-italys-fontana-takes-gold-womens-500-metres-2022-02-07 over 500 metres on Monday.
She trains in Hungary, however, following a dispute with the Italian national skating federation – which opposes her choice of husband Anthony Lobello as coach – and accusations of aggression against her while training on ice.
“To be there (at the 2026 Games) as an athlete, some things have to change. I won’t put myself, my coach, my family in situations we have been in until now,” she said on Tuesday.
“I’m convinced of the choice I made years ago, wanting Anthony as my coach. Last night, in short, was evidence that the choice was the right one, the best one,” she told reporters.
After Monday’s victory, Fontana said she had not felt safe in Italy and her latest triumph provided a release of “rage”.
“Me and my coach, we had people who tried not to have us here, find ways to hurt us,” she told a news conference on Monday.
“The season after Pyeongchang, I had male athletes targeting me on the ice, made me fall, try to attack me every time they got a chance so it was not safe for me to stay with the team.”
‘GREATEST OF ALL TIME’
Fontana did not name any of the alleged aggressors and neither she nor her husband could be immediately reached for further comment.
The Italian Olympic Committee applauded her victory, but told Reuters that neither it nor the skating federation would comment on the accusations of mistreatment.
Fontana, who is tied with former cross country skier Stefania Belmondo as the Italian athlete with most Winter Olympics medals, has chances to add to her tally in Beijing.
She will take part in the 1,000 metres, the 1,500 metres and the women’s 3,000 metre relay.
Her 10 medals to date are two more than retired male skaters Apolo Ono of the United States and Russia’s Viktor Ahn.
“Arianna you have entered the history books! You moved me. What suffering! I followed this final from my room, holding my breath, unable to be there, to be at your side, to rejoice and celebrate with you,” said Italian Olympic Committee Giovanni Malago, in quarantine in Beijing with COVID-19.
“Coni (the Italian Olympic Committee) will always be at your side. Congratulations to Anthony and the Federation for what they have done in these four years of hard work. Arianna, you are the greatest of all time!”
Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s office also lauded her as a legend of Italian and global sport.
(Reporting by Emily Roe and Julien Pretot in Beijing; Additional reporting by Crispian Balmer in Rome; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
