Being an Olympic torchbearer means more than just carrying a flame – it’s a symbol of respect, unity, and fair play. Usually, torchbearers are meant to inspire and connect communities and show the spirit of sportsmanship. That’s why Italian comedian and actor, Massimo Boldi was chosen for the role ahead of the Winter Olympics. That is, until he was recently removed.

The controversy began with an interview Boldi gave to Il Fatto Quotidiano, where he spoke about his role. “I’ve never moved a muscle. I’m not an athlete. But the Olympic Committee called me and I accepted,” he joked.

“And I didn’t get a cent..they only promised me 600 meters; if it were more, I don’t know how I’d get there. I’m not a kid anymore,” he added. At first, his words seemed lighthearted, but his next comment drew serious attention.

“There are actually some disciplines in which I’m a champion: f… and aperitifs,” he said, using a vulgar Italian slang word for female ge**talia. His comments were deemed inappropriate and offensive by many, particularly considering his role in representing the Olympic ideals of respect, inclusion, and togetherness.

A stalwart of Italian comedy cinema, the 80-year-old Boldi had been scheduled to carry the Olympic flame in Cortina as part of the torch relay on January 26.

Shortly after the interview went viral, the Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee announced Boldi would be removed from the torch relay. Organizers stated that his comments were “incompatible with the Olympic values,” and “carrying the Olympic flame is a privilege and a responsibility, and those chosen to do so must embody and promote the values of respect, unity and inclusion.”

Boldi issued a public apology to the organizing committee and “all those who felt hurt,” stating, “I made a joke that was meant to be light-hearted and ironic, but it turned out to be inappropriate and offensive towards women and not in line with the principles of respect and inclusion that inspire the Olympic movement.”

Despite the apology, the organizers stuck to their decision to remove him from the torchbearer list.

Meanwhile, the Olympic torch is making its way around Italy, stirring up anticipation for the Winter Olympics in Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, and other northern sites from 6 to 22 February 2026. But the relay has had other problems, as the question of who should carry the torch stirs debate.

Italian champions voice frustration over torch relay ahead of Winter Olympics

The spectacle behind the torch relay is, as usual, massive, as the torch visits each of Italy’s 110 provinces. And yet, a number of Italy’s best sports stars felt sidelined, believing they were passed over for the relay in favor of celebrities and TV presenters.

Silvio Fauner, former cross-country skiing champion and a member of Italy’s gold relay teams in 1994 and 2006, stated, “There’s no respect for us champions. I consider it an incredible insult,” he said. “ We were not involved in the slightest in any Winter Olympics initiative in our country. Neither torchbearers, nor ambassadors, nor any role. Nothing.”

Kristian Ghedina, the Alpine skiing legend and second most successful Italian downhill World Cup racer, was left disappointed as well. “I expected to be one of the faces of the Olympics. Instead, they forgot about me,” he told Corriere della Sera.

The conflict soon received political attention. The Infrastructure and Transport and Sports Ministers of Italy, Matteo Salvini and Vincenzo Spadafora, requested emergency discussions with the Organizing Committee and Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), insisting that the nomination process be transparent and just.

The Organizing Committee, in turn, justified its choice by stating that the 10,001 torchbearers had been nominated in a multi-layered system that relied on the foundation, host cities, sponsors, regional Olympic committees, local governments, and the International Olympic Committee.

As for Fauner, the Committee explained that since he held a political post of councillor in his hometown, he was ineligible to take part.

But with only the final stretches in Milan and Cortina to go for the torch relay, the excitement has overshadowed all disputes.