homophobic insults and quarrels on social media, then peace – Corriere.it

First the sparks, through social networks and on the edge of heavy words, then clarification, relaxation and peace. The storm that broke out between has a happy ending Christof Innerhoferblue sprinter, former super-G world champion and twice on the Olympic podium in Sochi 2014, and Paul DeChiesaex of the Avalanche Azzurra and for years the face of Rai for skiing.

Turbulent story, which lasted a few hours and started – after the background that dates back to the January races in Cortina – from a video in which De Chiesa explained his position regarding the controversy that Innerhofer had sparked after his exclusion from the downhill quartet at the World Championship in taking place in France. By choice of the technicians, made before the start of the world championship, Innerhofer would have raced in super-G e Matthew Marsaglia, which boasted a best free placement in the World Cup season, would have been at the start of the downhill on Sunday 12 February. But the South Tyrolean still took part in the trials, finishing second once and first once. Hence his discontent (Foreigners use timed tests to select participants, I don’t see why we Italians shouldn’t adopt the same criterion), which did not lead to modifying the quintet but which created a storm around the story. So too De Chiesa he wanted to express his opinion: he supported the line of the Fisi, underlined how the verdict of the tests is always relative because there are those who use them to test individual traits from time to time and recalled how for some time Christof has not manages to transfer certain performances into the race.

Open up heaven. The South Tyrolean blurted out on social media: Now you’ve exaggerated. And he spoke of the events that occurred after the second super-G in Cortina (Inner finished tenth, the placement that earned him a call-up for the world championship test), adding that De Chiesa had used a homophobic insult against him. The former blue promptly replied by saying that he had reacted to a heavy vulgarity of the athlete relating to his past as a skier. It all happened, in a sort of one-on-one without witnesses, in the Rai station area and the fuse that triggered everything was, paradoxically, the compliments of De Chiesa to Innerhofer for its good placement. Christof he reproached him for being one of those who supports the opportunity that, at the age of 38, he retires. The video with Paolo’s judgment on the “affaire” of the world championship downhill did the rest, precisely with a squabble via social media. With a cool head, De Chiesa wanted to apologize for the harshness of the confrontation (But that happened in response to a provocation received: if I’m attacked, I won’t shut up) and specified that he did not enter into Innerhofer’s sporting and life choices in the slightest. He simply likes the idea of ​​a great champion choosing to leave before the decline becomes apparent. This for a very different concept from saying that Christof must retire or continue: those are his facts, on which I do not allow myself to question. On the morning of Wednesday 14, however, De Chiesa received a phone call from Innerhofer, who in turn made amends for what he had said to Cortina. The two talked for a long time and restored diplomatic relations: yes, closing this bad story and putting the end of it was the best decision.