For some days the world of sport has been witnessing a verbal confrontation between two swimming greats, Federica Pellegrini and Gregorio Paltrinieri.
At the center of the discussion, which came to life with a back-and-forth through social media, there is a highly valued prize that takes the name of “Premio Alberto Castagnetti 2017”. It is a tribute to the great swimming coach who passed away and rewards the best coach of the whole year.
This year the jury has declared the winner Stefano Morini, current coach of Paltrinieri, who will have to collect the honor in a few days.
But at Pellegrini this decision did not go right! The Venetian swimmer, who feels called into question because Castagnetti was also her coach, does not consider the awarding of the award correct, not for lack of merit on the part of the coach but because she is convinced that her current coach Matteo Giunta is certainly more worthy. The results speak for themselves and the gold medals won by Pellegrini herself during the year are the clearest evidence of this.
And she expresses herself like this on social media:
I am very sorry that this award does not go to you Matteo who succeeded in this feat and moreover you made Luca Pizzini improve by a second and a half. Now we have the certainty of how these votes work !! Okay there is! But for me and for your group YOU ARE THE COACH OF THE YEAR !! CONGRATULATIONS!
The thought of him is clear and cannot go unnoticed in the environment and especially within the team of the newly awarded. To reply to Pellegrini and just one of him elected by him, Gregorio Paltrinieri, who promptly expresses his dissent with a strenuous defense of the technician. Here are some of his phrases:
And a federal award, not an Oscar. I understand the desire to support the undoubted merits of one’s coach, but it must not be done by discrediting the work of others. Il Moro this year with his athletes has won four world medals. Point. But what are we talking about
From this moment on, the discussion turns on and takes on even exaggerated tones, reaching rather squalid levels. A post by Tommaso Morini infuriates Pellegrini and leads to threats of lawsuit.
It seems that the young supporter of Morini, son of the coach, launched sexist offenses against the world champion and animated a discussion that could easily be closed after the exchange of opinions.
And now how will this dispute proceed
Unfortunately, the boy’s apologies were not enough to calm the spirits and inevitably the question came in the presence of Federnuoto who, together with Cesare Butini, technical director of the National team, decided to open an investigation.
These are the harsh words of Butini:
Tommaso Morini has addressed heavy offenses to Federica Pellegrini and he will answer for them in the first person. Both in front of the federal justice, because he is a registered one, and in the ordinary one if Federica considers suing him. It is in its faculties and it does well. We will be uncompromising and we want to safeguard the good name of the Federation first of all and then of the athletes.
In the interest of sport and the good image of the Italian swimming team, we want to put an end to a sterile discussion, which arises precisely from an award aimed at enhancing the beauty and value of swimming and its representatives and others. to muddy it.
