CASE STUDY OLYMPIC FEMALE GYMNASTICS COACH FIRED AFTER ABUSE CHARGE Italy s gymnastics team coach Emanuela Maccarani was fired by the Italian Gymnastics Federation in March 2025 after she was accused of mistreatment of the gymnasts. She also received a threemonth disqualification after a plea bargain with the Federal Court in June 2025. The story The case started in 2022 when two former gymnasts, Anna Basta and Nina Corradini, accused her of psychological abuse. According to the accusations, Maccarani victimised the young gymnasts over their weight and eating habits and forced them, who were both under 18 at that time, to weigh themselves in front of teammates, with coaching staff insulting them if they appeared overweight. In March 2025, due to these accusations and subsequent investigations, Emanuela Maccarani s contract as technical director of the Italian national rhythmic gymnastics team was terminated by the Italian Gymnastics Federation (FGI). The new president of the FGI, Andrea Facci, stated that the decision was unanimous and was taken in order to renew the coaching team. In June 2025, Maccarani was further disciplined by the FGI, receiving a three-month disqualification for unsportsmanlike conduct, though coach Maccarani had always denied the accusations of abuse. 5 Answer the questions. 1. When was Emanuela Maccarani fired by the Italian Gymnastics Federation? 2. When did the abuse start, according to the accusing athletes? 3. According to the accusations, what was Maccarani said to victimise young gymnasts over? 4. In what ways were they victimised? 128 physical education After her dismissal, she stated this would have had a highly negative effect on the rhythmic gymnastics team. She also said that she had not received any official notification of the reason for her firing apart from an e-mail, which she read after having heard the news from social media, and that she would use her time to think and metabolise the measure. The reactions The two athletes Basta and Corradini were assisted in their case by Change The Game, an Italian organisation that defends victims of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse in sport. Daniela Simonetti, president of the association, said Maccarani s departure was a turning point that opened a new page in the interests of young gymnasts. Anna Basta added that Maccarani s dismissal should mark the end of old-fashioned training methods that can prove harmful to the athletes and their future, both in sport and in their personal life. However, after the news of Maccarani s firing, some athletes sided with the former coach; for example, Martina Centofanti, a star of the rhythmic gymnastics team, said that, without coach Maccarani, the team could find themselves in a destabilising situation, as their sports programme could be seriously affected. Adapted from: https://www.ilpost.it/ 2025/06/18/emanuela-maccaraniallenatrice-ginnastica-ritmica-squalificata/ to concern: preoccuparsi former: ex measure: provvedimento plea bargain: patteggiamento 5. What further measure did the Federal Sport Court take against coach Maccarani? 6. How did Maccarani say she had found out about the dismissal? 7. Who supported the two former athletes accusing Maccarani? 8. What were the different reactions about Maccarani s dismissal?