The Italian national water polo team, known as Settebello, recently faced controversy following their protest against the decisions made by World Aquatics. Giovanni Malagò, President of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), described the protest as “unjustifiable,” emphasizing that some of the refereeing decisions against Hungary were equally contentious. Despite this, Malagò assured that CONI, along with the Italian Swimming Federation, had defended the team through every level of the appeals process up to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). He expressed disappointment in the reaction, which he believed contradicted the Olympic spirit.
The dispute between Settebello and World Aquatics intensified when the CAS rejected the appeal filed by the Italian Swimming Federation to replay the quarterfinal match against Hungary, which Italy had lost in a penalty shootout. The decision was based on an annulled goal and a controversial expulsion of player Francesco Condemi. Consequently, the team’s protest continued during their match against Spain for the fifth and sixth place, where they turned their backs to the jury and did not enter the pool for the first four minutes.
During the match, the Italian team deliberately started with one player short, replicating the four-minute duration of Condemi’s penalty from the previous game. Despite these actions, Spain won 11-9, and Italy will play for the seventh place. Coach Sandro Campagna explained that the team’s protest was a constructive attempt to highlight their commitment to the sport and its values. He clarified that the intention was not to disrespect Spain, though some players, like Di Fulvio, felt their actions were necessary to express their grievances. Campagna concluded with a note of frustration, emphasizing that athletes are the ones who ultimately suffer from such disputes.
