Italy

Italian Fencers Clash With Footballers

The Italian Olympic fencing team has come out with some scathing words regarding the unequal treatment of their footballing compatriots...

Aug 18, 2008 11:12:09 AM

Olympic: Italy - Honduras

The rift between the bulk of Italy's Olympic athletes and the footballers representing the country at the Games has grown steadily throughout the showpiece event. Allegedly, the star-studded football squad members have received better treatment then their fellow Italians in Beijing.

Latest reports suggest that this animosity towards the Azzurrini has now hit new heights after an incident at a Chinese airport yesterday. Athletes whose participation in the games had come to an end were checking in at Air China, ready to return to Rome when they realised that the football players were flying in business class whilst they were booked into economy.

This latest slap in the face infuriated the women's fencing team, who had won two bronze medals and a gold between them. One of the fencers raged: “How can this be? We won a gold and two bronze and they treat us like this, while they (the footballers) didn't win anything but they are in business class.”

This latest revelation is bound to get tongues wagging in Italy, with the treatment of footballers over fellow athletes often a thorn in the side of the Olympic committee and other Italian sporting bodies.

Peter Pedroncelli

Italy

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