Milan Cortina 2026, comes the unexpected 'no' by Mattia Furlani

The Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are approaching in wide stride, and one of the most hot-button topics is that concerning torchbearers. Numerous controversies have erupted in recent days, ranging from the proud protest of Silvio Fauner, a gold medalist in Lillehammer but not contacted by the organizers, to the ouster of a Massimo Boldi guilty of having made a joke in his goliardic intentions, to the irony over the torch-bearing presence of Gabriele Sbattella, the Catman of a famous singing show, who resented, even rightly so, since he recalled that he had simply applied and thus been chosen.

Who should have carried the flame and gave up was instead long-distance runner Mattia Furlani. “They asked me in Rieti two hours before the ceremony, so I had to decline. In Terni, however, I didn’t feel like it, it’s not my city. If you don”t feel it”s yours, it”s right not to do it” he explained consistently to the microphones of Fanpage.it.

“It depends on the point of view. As an athlete, I can understand those who are annoyed to see people who perhaps do not know the meaning of the Olympics or the sacrifices behind it. However, on the other hand, it is also true that sport belongs to everyone and carrying the torch is a unique opportunity. So everyone makes their own assessments: this is simply mine” added the 21-year-old athlete.

“There is no respect for us champions, I consider it an unbelievable offense, or as my partner Monica says, ‘a disgrace’ – instead, Fauner had stressed to the ‘Gazzetta dello Sport’ -. I represent 10 athletes who have won 35 Olympic medals, starting with the two gold medal relays of 1994 and 2006, Gabriella Paruzzi, Sabina Valbusa, Bice Vanzetta. We were not involved at all in any initiative for the Winter Olympics in our country. No torchbearers, no ambassadors, no role. Nothing”.

“Of course, however, I should not be the one to protest, I rather expect an apology– had concluded the Venetian -. It should be an automatic thing to think of us, not only by the Coni, but also by Fisi, which does not protect what its former athletes have done, and by the Milan Cortina Foundation”.