He led the Italian cross-country skiers and is now a sports manager in Valle d’Aosta: “How is it possible that all 141 Italian athletes weren’t taken into account compared to 10,001 torchbearers? I don’t think Albano had to fill out the form…”

Marco Albarello was the leader of the Italian cross-country team that amazed everyone at the 2006 Games with two gold medals and two bronze medals. But he is also one of the forgotten legends brought up by ministers, and thanks to his role as head of sporting events for the Aosta Valley Region, on Monday, January 12, he was able to be a torchbearer alongside other Italian skiing heroes.

Albarello, how would you have handled this situation?

“With a special list dedicated to 40 Olympic champions and 141 medalists that avoided the rigmarole of non-champions for the format required of others. For me, that’s where the chaos began. All it would have taken was a pass, something simple for the ceremonies, and all this controversy would have been avoided. I tried to stop Fauner, who was tired of waiting, but it’s a story that started three months ago.“

What do you think happened?

”There were three places for the municipalities, three for CONI, and those for the sponsors. How is it possible not to have taken into account all 141 Italian athletes compared to 10,001 torchbearers? I don’t think Albano had to fill out the form… I spoke to Malagò two months ago, I spoke to Buonfiglio when I invited him to the CONI Youth Trophy, and he told me, ‘we are taking action’ for the torchbearers, I don’t know if he had inherited something that had already been decided. Maybe he thought, “What should I do, what should I choose?” also with regard to the Milan Cortina Foundation. The president of Fisi, Roda, called me and admitted, “We had to do something else.” Then I don’t know what happened, I don’t want to blame anyone, but…”.

The medals, which should be the highlight of the Olympics, have been forgotten.

Passing the buck, embarrassment, or…?

“There was a lack of sensitivity: the medals, which should be the highlight of the Olympics, have been forgotten. I’m thinking of Giorgio Di Centa and his two gold medals. I really hoped, as Piller Cottrer said, to see the gold medal relay parade at San Siro again after Turin 2006, also to highlight how great the guys had been.“

Cross-country skiing saved those Italian Games twenty years ago.

” Well, I hoped that this could be an opportunity to revive some enthusiasm for us: in 2006, immediately after those triumphant Olympics, Italy won the World Cup and what these guys had done was immediately forgotten. We are talking about the second Olympic snow sport. It’s not fair to forget us.”

Two ministers defended you.

“On January 3, I told Minister Abodi about these mistakes.”

Do you think the controversy will help remedy the situation?

“As of today, everything is at a standstill, but I hope so. However, we, the members of the 1994 gold medal relay team, knew three months in advance that we would be participating in the ceremony. There is a whole ceremony to organize.“

Carrying the torch was a fantastic thrill, a once-in-a-lifetime experience

How did you feel with the torch in your hand in Aosta?

”A fantastic thrill. Vuillermoz and Arianna Follis were with me, and everyone who carried it for those 200 meters told me it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “But they rush us,” they said. Ah, Pellegrino was there too, who had signed up, not knowing if he would be the flag bearer. “I’m getting ahead of myself,” Chicco told me.

Where will you watch the Games?

“I have friends with houses in Val di Fiemme, but I don’t have tickets. I think I’ll end up commenting on the races from Milan for Sky…