The question and answer between Arianna Fontana and the Fisg (Italian Ice Sports Federation) does not subside, almost threatening to overshadow the achievement of the champion from Polaggia who won the gold medal in the 500 meters at the Beijing Olympics after having also contributed to the silver medal of the mixed relay becoming the Italian athlete with the most Olympic laurels together with the cross-country skier Stefania Belmondo with a total of 10 podiums in five participations in the Games.
The jab
After the success on Monday, in fact, Arianna Fontana in addition to enjoying the gold medal and sharing, albeit from a distance, the success, with her fans, had launched heavy accusations against the federation, rea, in her opinion of not liking her coach, her husband Anthony Lobello and, for this reason, even having done everything to prevent Fontana from participating in the Winter Games in progress in Beijing and “threatening” not to take part, at least as an athlete, in the next edition of the Olympics winter, the one scheduled in Milan and Cortina (and in Valtellina) in 2026.
A controversy that is not new, but that has certainly raised the level of tension between the entourage of the Valtellina champion and the federal bodies.
The answer
In these hours the reply of the federal president Andrea Gios has arrived who, if on the one hand he tried to tone down the tone, on the other hand he wanted to “keep the point”, specifying how even a champion like the Fontana must abide by certain rules if he wants to participate in his sixth short-track Olympics in four years.
“We will talk after the Games – Gios told Ansa – and without making controversy. Now the priority is to stay focused on the next races. The hope is that Arianna will participate as an athlete in Milan-Cortina 2026, it is a heritage of Italian sport. We will do everything to have it, but within federal rules. “
