Italvolley, controversy rages on

At the midst of the good news, perhaps even exceeding expectations, coming from the Italian teams that qualified for the Olympics, from women’s water polo to men’s volleyball, which shredded none other than Brazil, the women’s volleyball’s poor showing stands out.

The suffered qualification had been a signal, but no one ever expected such a collapse: 4 defeats in 4 matches, 12 sets lost, almost all badly, and only one won. Total flop, which on the one hand closes an era, the one of the three fifth places at the Games and the double European title in 2007 and 2009, but on the other does not allow the young recruits, such as Egonu and Orro, to grow at their best.

Started badly, with the surprising exclusion of Valentina Diouf, hard then with the outgoing coach Bonitta, the adventure ended worse also because of an obvious lack of harmony in the group.

To confirm this, here are the words of Carolina Costagrande, another of the excellent exclusions, but evidently in touch with more than a few former teammates.

The Italian-Argentinean vented herself with a harsh post on her facebook page: “I am saddened, I saw my teammates as well as friends thrown to the brink without tools to face such an important tournament. A national team with this prestige cannot make such a figure at the Olympics. It’s a lack of respect for its history.”

Up to here generic accusations, but then Carolina’s crosshairs seem to shift to Bonitta: “It would have taken a more linear path, not to burn young people in this way. We go to the Olympics with the best project. I hope the best choices are made to start again.”