Paris Olympics: Italy lodges formal complaint after Hong Kong’s Cheung defeats Macchi
- Italy’s Olympic Committee also criticises selection of referees from countries neighbouring Hong Kong
Italy’s national Olympic Committee (Coni) has lodged a formal complaint following Cheung Ka-long’s gold medal match victory over Filippo Macchi, as the Italian’s coach labelled him the “moral winner” in a controversial bout.
Hong Kong foilist Cheung beat Macchi 15-14 but, with the scores level at 14-14, both men thought they had secured the victory only for a video review to overrule the referee.
Eventually Cheung secured the win, having trailed 14-12 at one point, but the Italian’s camp were bitterly unhappy at the decision.
“I’ve never seen anything like this, neither as an athlete or coach,” Macchi’s trainer Stefano Cerioni told Italian broadcaster Rai afterwards. “I would hope it is just incompetence, I would not want to suggest anything else.
“The judges abstained, this is serious for the lad. Macchi is the moral winner. He won it three times, but found himself second.
“My heart breaks for him because we worked so hard. He deserved this win because he landed his thrusts.