Italian short track star Pietro Sighel came into the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina as the world No. 1 in the men’s 1000 m. With a streak of World Cup medals, European titles, and an Olympic silver already under his belt, everyone was watching to see if he could do it again. And for a while, it looked like he might. But in the quarterfinals, a split-second mistake ended his run in the individual event at the Olympics.

On February 12, during the men’s 1000 m short track quarterfinals at the Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Sighel was competing in a heat where the top two finishers would advance to the semifinals.

Early in the race, Pietro Sighel attempted an inside pass to move up positions. He crossed the finish line in first ahead of China’s Long Sun and Latvia’s Roberts Kruzbergs, but as he shifted inside, he got too close to Polish skater Michal Niewinski, who was just behind him. The contact between their skates caused Niewinski to lose balance and fall during the lap. Because of that, he finished the heat in last place.

Soon after the race, the video review confirmed that Pietro Sighel’s inside move had impeded Niewinski, leading to his fall. Officials ruled the pass as illegal interference, giving Sighel a penalty that disqualified him from advancing. Because of the ruling, he ended up fourth in his heat and was eliminated from the individual 1000 m event. But Sighel hadn’t fully processed the disqualification immediately after the race.

Speaking to Raisport, he said, “They disqualified me. In these cases, when it comes to blade contact, all that matters is the opponent’s advancement, who was penalized. There’s not much else to say. I felt I was ahead of the Pole, so I finished decisively.”

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

Pietro Sighel added a behind-the-scenes perspective: “Niewinski himself, at the end of the race, told me that the contact between us was only between the blades and, therefore, I shouldn’t have been disqualified. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. It’s clear that we see things differently than the judges. In any case, as I said, it’s part of the sport. I have to accept it and move forward. It happens too often in short track, so there’s no point in getting upset about it.”

Yet the 1000 m penalty wasn’t the only controversy Pietro Sighel faced during these Games!

Pietro Sighel faces another controversy after the gold medal win

Earlier in the Games, Pietro Sighel had already helped Italy win gold in the mixed relay, racing alongside teammates including Arianna Fontana, Elisa Confortola, and Thomas Nadalini. Italy beat out Canada and Belgium in the final, who finished second and third, respectively. It was a thrilling moment for the home crowd… but it also drew attention for the way he celebrated.

As he crossed the finish line in the final lap, Sighel turned to face his opponents and skated backwards, a move some observers and rivals labeled arrogant. But he didn’t shy away from explaining himself: “I did it for the home crowd. It wasn’t a disrespectful gesture towards my opponents.”

But the attention didn’t stop there. When asked about teammate Arianna Fontana, Italy’s most decorated Winter Olympian, he made remarks that raised eyebrows: “Arianna Fontana? Who knows her?” and added, “We are not a team with her, except for the two and a half minutes we’re on the track.”

The critics were quick to respond to it, but Pietro Sighel did not duck the controversy. In a different interview, he made his intentions clear and insisted even more on his devotion to the sport: “I meant no disrespect to anyone. Only idiots can think it was a joke. My sport needs visibility, and I want to bring it into the homes of Italians like Valentino Rossi did with motorcycles.”

Through both his celebration and his words… Pietro Sighel showed he’s unafraid to speak his mind, even when it puts him in the spotlight!