After a 90-day suspension, Italian Olympic swimmer Benedetta Pilato is speaking out. This story dives into the challenges she faced, both in and out of the pool. Let's explore her journey!
Pilato, a prominent breaststroke swimmer, recently sat down for an interview with journalist Mario Calabresi on the podcast Vivavoce. The interview offered a candid look into her experiences following a challenging period.
During the interview, Pilato reflected on the demanding 2025 season, which culminated in a bronze medal at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore in the women’s 50-meter breaststroke. She described the year as one of the most difficult of her career, both physically and mentally. She admitted, "Talking strictly about last season’s races, it was probably one of the most difficult years of my career."
Pilato's experience highlights the immense pressure and dedication required of elite athletes. She was training in Turin, Italy, during this period, a time she described as personally stable but professionally complicated. She revealed that, "My life was going well, but my career a bit less: my body wasn’t reacting the way it should, it wasn’t responding to training stimuli. I’ve never hidden my hormonal difficulties."
But here's where it gets controversial... The bronze medal in Singapore held special significance for Pilato. She explained, “That medal was important. It was unexpected, but deeply wanted.” This underscores the emotional investment athletes have in their performances.
Pilato also addressed an incident that occurred after the World Championships during a private vacation in Bali with fellow national team athletes. This led to disciplinary action. She stated, “We had fun and then something messy happened… We made a mistake, a foolish act, and we paid the consequences. We apologized — I apologized to those I needed to apologize to. Fortunately, it was resolved very quickly.”
This incident, while not fully detailed, resulted in a significant personal impact. Pilato shared, “It was hard for me and for my family. I found myself facing something bigger than me,” adding that she experienced moments of deep emotional distress. “I cried a lot and thought I had ruined everything.” She emphasized the need for a period of silence, stating, “I needed this period of silence. I made a mistake, but the comments from people affected me.” The move to Rome later played a positive role in regaining balance. “The change helped.”
The Disciplinary Case
The events referenced by Pilato date back to August 2025, when she and fellow Italian Olympic swimmer Chiara Tarantino were briefly detained and questioned by authorities at Singapore Airport over an alleged unpaid purchase at a duty-free shop. The situation was resolved within a few hours, with assistance from the Italian Embassy, and no criminal charges were filed.
Pilato, now 21 years old, won a bronze medal in the 50 breaststroke at the 2025 World Championships. That was her fifth career World Championship medal in 50m breast LCM and sixth overall (she won the 100 breast in 2022).
Tarantino, 22 years old, is one of the country’s best sprinters and attended the World Championships as a relay-only swimmer.
Following the incident, the Italian Swimming Federation (FIN) initiated disciplinary proceedings. After receiving authorization from the Office of the CONI Prosecutor General, the Federation accepted the proposal of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office, following individual plea bargain requests submitted by the athletes.
Considering the investigation's outcome and the swimmers' cooperative attitude, FIN imposed a 90-day suspension from all federation and social activities. As a result, Pilato and Tarantino missed the 2025 European Short Course Championships and the Italian National SC Championship.
And this is the part most people miss...
Return To Competition
With the suspension over, Benedetta Pilato has resumed full training. Since September, she has been based in Rome, under the technical guidance of Mirko Nozzolillo. Her upcoming competitive schedule includes the Italian LC Championships in April and the European Championships in Paris, set for August 10–16.
After months of silence and absence from competition, Pilato is now focused on racing, aiming to let her performances speak for themselves.
What do you think? Do you believe the suspension was justified? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
In This Story
- Benedetta Pilato
- Chiara Tarantino
About Giusy Cisale
GIUSY CISALEA law graduate and practicing attorney for 15 years, Giusy Cisale balanced her professional career with her passion for swimming by founding and managing her swimming-focused blog, Scent of Chlorine. Her expertise in the sport led her to collaborate with Italian swimming news websites starting in 2015, before joining …
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