Italian speed skating star Arianna Fontana has sent a clear message to her country’s Olympics federation after winning gold in the women’s 500m event.
The 10-time Olympic medallist revealed team officials “didn’t want her” to compete at the Beijing Games because of a relationship breakdown between Fontana and the Italian National Olympic Committee.
In the immediate aftermath of her gold medal performance, the 31-year-old snubbed team officials, instead skating straight towards her husband and coach Anthony Lobello Jr where the two shared a rink-side kiss.
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The kiss has been interpreted by some viewers as a deliberate move by Fontana to defy her country’s Olympic bureaucrats as a result of what she claims has been a lack of support since her decision to be coached by Lobello Jr.
“When I crossed the line — all that yelling — I don’t usually yell, it was just a way to let it out, all that anger,” she said.
“We had people that didn’t want me here. My federation wasn’t really supportive with me having my husband as a coach.
“Me and my family had to go through a bad situation, people that didn’t want me here. They didn’t want me having my husband as coach, but today we proved he was the best possible coach.
“They didn’t help. In fact, they tried to find ways that we wouldn’t be here at all. It was tough.
“Today we proved that he’s an amazing coach.
“It was my best choice, my best decision to have him on my side.”
Fontana took a year’s break after the 2018 Olympics, relocating to Hungary. She only returned to Italy late last year to train with the national team.
“I saw a couple of (Federation officials) in the hallway — they didn’t even come up and say congratulations,” Fontana said.
“I wasn’t looking for them to come up to me. It’s actually better if they stay away.”
Asked if she would try for a third career gold, the most decorated short track Olympian said things would need to change for her to return for a fifth Games.
“If things are not going to change, I’m not going through this again,” she said.
The next Winter Games will be held in Milan-Cortina, in Fontana’s home country, in 2026.
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