Italian Swimmers Suspended After Duty-Free Theft Incident

Italian swimmers Benedetta Pilato and Chiara Tarantino were suspended for 90 days due to a duty-free theft incident at Singapore airport, the Italian Swimming Federation (FIN) reported. The ban includes missing the upcoming European Championship.

The athletes were returning to Italy from a vacation in Bali after the World Championships in July–August when authorities detained them at the boarding gate in Singapore. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, surveillance footage showed Tarantino hiding unpaid perfumes in Pilato’s bag. Italian diplomats assisted the swimmers, and they were soon released and allowed to return home.

Pilato stated that she was only “indirectly” involved in the incident and immediately began cooperating with authorities. Due to the suspension, both swimmers will miss the December short-course European Championship in Poland.

Pilato is the 2022 World Champion in the 100m breaststroke and a two-time short-course World Champion (2020, 2022). Tarantino earned bronze at the 2021 European Championships in relay events and three silver medals at European short-course championships, also in relays.