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Maccarani, a former national gymnast herself, will face charges of abuse of minors at a court in Monza, in northern Italy, on February 10.
Emanuela Maccarani. (X)
Emanuela Maccarani, the former coach of Italy’s rhythmic gymnastics team, will stand trial next year, over accusations of bullying athletes.
Maccarani, a former national gymnast herself, will face charges of abuse of minors at a court in Monza, in northern Italy, on February 10.
The trial stems from explosive allegations made almost three years ago by two promising Italian gymnasts, Nina Corradini and double world champion Anna Basta. Both quit the sport as teenagers due to the treatment they claim was meted out by Maccarani.
During Maccarani’s nearly three-decade tenure at the Italian team’s National Training Centre in Desio, near Monza, gymnasts began their days by being weighed in front of each other.
Giulia Galtarossa, now 34 and world champion in 2009 and 2010, recounted being chastised by a coaching assistant for eating a pear and receiving her diet sheet with the message “we have a little piggy in the squad”.
Maccarani, 59, elevated Italy to the pinnacle of a sport traditionally dominated by countries from the former Soviet bloc.
The matter seemed resolved in September 2023 when Maccarani received a simple warning from the disciplinary tribunal of the country’s gymnastics federation (FGI) and was reinstated as the head of the national team, known as the “Butterflies”.
However, in March, the FGI, under new president Andrea Facci, dismissed Maccarani.
At the time of her dismissal, the FGI’s official explanation to AFP was that the organisation wanted to “open a new cycle in preparation for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics”.
Among those who have won world and Olympic medals under Maccarani’s guidance is Sofia Raffaeli, who secured bronze in the all-around discipline at the 2024 Games in Paris.
September 23, 2025, 14:04 is
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