Arianna Fontana kisses her husband and coach Anthony Lobello Jr. Photo / AP
Arianna Fontana kisses her husband and coach Anthony Lobello Jr. Photo / AP
It was a kiss that no doubt left Italian Olympics officials seething.
Olympics legend and speed skating icon Arianna Fontana has blown the lid on her broken relationship with her own country's Olympics federation in an explosive statement following her gold medal win in the women's 500m event — her 10th Olympic medal.
The 31-year-old has revealed officials in the Italian team "didn't want her" to be competing in Beijing as a result of a bitter civil war playing out behind the scenes.
The conflict is on the verge of boiling over after she sent a message around the world by snubbing team officials in the immediate aftermath of her victory.
She instead skated straight towards her husband and coach Anthony Lobello Jr.
They were seen embracing in TV footage that was seen around the world.
Arianna Fontana celebrates after winning the women's 500m short track speedskating competition. Photo / AP
The kiss has been interpreted by some to be a deliberate move to defy the country's Olympic bureaucrats as a result of what she claims has been a lack of support since she moved to being coached by her partner.
She says the programme abandoned her after her decision to be coached by Lobello Jr.
She was seen pumping her fists and screeching when she realised she had won after an epic comeback to overtake Dutch favourite Suzanne Schulting.
"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."
Gold medalist Fontana celebrates during the medal ceremony for the women's 500m short track speedskating. Photo / AP
Fontana told journalists the problems had started after she won her first 500m gold at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.
"Today we proved that he's an amazing coach," she said.
"It was my best choice, my best decision to have him on my side."
The couple left Italy for Hungary, only returning late last year to train with the Italian team.
"I saw a couple of (Federation officials) in the hallway — they didn't even come up and say congratulations," Fontana said.
