RaiSport Director resigns after blundering Olympic ceremony commentary

(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 19 - RaiSport Director Paolo Petrecca has handed his resignation to Rai CEO Giampaolo Rossi after his blunder-strewn commentary on the Milano Cortina 2026 opening ceremony, the State broadcaster said on Thursday. It said Petrecca would leave his position at the end of the Winter Olympics and Marco Lollobrigida, one of RaiSport's top journalists and presenters, would step into the role temporarily. Rai's sports journalists withdrew their bylines from their reports last Friday in protest at the commentary the opening ceremony on February 6. Petrecca started the commentary by welcoming viewers to the Stadio Olimpico, instead of Milan's San Siro Stadium, and went on to commit a series of embarrassing mistakes. These including mistaking Italian actress Matilda De Angelis for Mariah Carey and International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry for Italian President Sergio Mattarella's daughter Laura. (ANSA). Read article...

By ANSA