Their presence at the Olympic Torch Relay on Sunday, December 14th, in Quartu didn't go unnoticed. Indeed, within hours, it became a hot topic. Two women, former directors of the Cagliari Windsurfing Club and suspended by the FIV (Italian Sailing Federation) "for incidents related to bullying and violence, attempted to appeal to the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), but it appears their appeal was rejected." They participated in the event as torchbearers without declaring their disciplinary position, thus becoming the subject of a controversy that, despite itself, involved the Quartu-based association Asd Seguimi.
Images of the relay, shared enthusiastically on social media, quickly began circulating. For those familiar with the incident, which in recent months apparently led to the suspension of the Windsurfing Club's leaders, those photos sparked concern and prompted a direct report to the host association. From there, the buzz on social media and smartphones was immediate.
Seguimi, an organization that has been working with people with disabilities through sports for years , was completely unaware of the situation. Therefore, upon learning of the incident, it felt it was necessary to publicly intervene with a clear position.
"On Sunday, December 14th, we were protagonists of a unique historic event: the passing of the Olympic Torch," reads the post published on the association's Facebook page. "Our joy and great emotion were shattered by unfortunate news we learned after sharing this moment on social media." Seguimi explains that it received a report that among the torchbearers were "two members suspended by CONI for serious incidents dating back to the summer of 2024."
According to the reconstruction, the two women "knowingly concealed the reasons for their impediment, both from the association and from those who, in good faith, facilitated their participation. ASD Seguimi wishes to clarify that these individuals are in no way connected to or involved with our association," the statement continues. "We completely dissociate ourselves from this disrespectful attitude toward sporting values."
President Daniela Graziu further clarified her position, describing an incident that threatened to tarnish an important moment not only for her students but for the entire community: "A beautiful occasion risked turning into a bad memory. We deeply regret this, but we are not responsible." The two individuals, she explained, were brought to the school by an associate who was unaware of their disciplinary history.
Not only that. Graziu emphasizes that the application form for participating in the event required a declaration of compliance and no outstanding debts : "It appears they made false statements. They lied to all of us and carried the torch improperly, offending the sports world and the associations."
Hence the decision to publicly distance myself and also to extend a thought to the families involved in the events that led to the suspension : "As president, on behalf of the association, before distancing myself from this unpleasant event, I felt it my duty to apologize first of all to the families of the victims and then to everyone who knows us."
The following is the response from the torchbearers' lawyer, Filippo Pirisi, reported in full : "Regarding the news circulating on social media and the statements made to the Unione Sarda by the President of ASD Seguimi, my clients, through me, feel it is necessary to clarify several aspects. First, their suspension (relating to their role as former board members of a sailing club, and solely for culpa in vigilando) pertains exclusively to the scope of the Sailing Federation and not, as erroneously stated, to all CONI activities. This means that, if the Olympic flame ceremony had been organized by CONI, they would not have been prohibited from participating. Furthermore, this ceremony is a private activity (organized, in fact, by a Foundation) that has nothing to do with sporting activities in the strict sense and, therefore, is not relevant for any suspensions; this is confirmed by the fact that numerous public figures who have nothing to do with the 'sporting world' also participate." The consequence is that, in any case, no prohibition or limitation could have applied to them with respect to their role as torchbearers. At the same time, it is seriously defamatory to claim that they "made false statements," given that the membership forms specify specific "conditions of impediment" that, in no way, relate to the events that occurred to my clients. I therefore conclude by urging everyone to be more rigorous in making public statements and comments that—especially following this clarification—are deemed false and/or defamatory. They will inevitably be referred to the Public Prosecutor's Office to protect the integrity of my clients .
(Unioneonline/Fr.Me.)