By Julien Pretot
BEIJING (Reuters) – Italy might have to do without Arianna Fontana, their most decorated female Olympian, at their home Games in Milan and Cortina in 2026 as a dispute with the national skating federation remains unresolved.
The 31-year-old, who made her Games debut in 2006 in Turin, has collected 11 Olympic medals – more than any other short track athlete – after taking silver in the 1,500 metres.
She trains in Hungary 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 the ice.
Last week she said “some things” needed to change and it appeared on Wednesday that they have not yet.
“Things with the federation are what they are and the president said he’ll do everything he can but that I have to stay in the system, which I left to be here and successful,” Fontana told reporters.
“If they start like that there’s no way I’m gonna be there as an athlete (in 2026).”
After winning the 500 metres last week, Fontana said she had not felt safe in Italy.
“Me and my coach, we had people who tried not to have us here, find ways to hurt us,” she told a news conference at the time.
“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.”
Fontana did not name the alleged aggressors and neither she nor her husband have not further commented on the allegations.
The Italian Olympic Committee applauded her victory last week, saying in an email to Reuters that all questions on her dispute with the federation would be answered after the Games.
Andrea Gios, president of the Italian ice sports federation, also said last week it would “calmly clarify” things after the Games.
Her 11 medals are three more than retired male skaters Apolo Ohno of the United States and Russia’s Viktor Ahn.
She is two shy of the Italian Olympic record held by former fencer Edoardo Mangiarotti, who won his 13 medals across five Summer Games between 1936 and 1960.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Alison Williams)
