The Court of Arbitration for Sport Ad hoc Division has registered two applications filed by Italian curling athlete Angela Romei against the Italian Ice Sports Federation and the World Curling Federation. The cases relate to the selection process for the Italian Women’s Curling Team for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
The Italian Ice Sports Federation published its women’s team selections for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games on 20 January 2026. Ms Romei was not included in the selected squad.
On 4 February 2026, Ms Romei formally challenged a decision issued by the Italian Ice Sports Federation on 2 February 2026. That decision outlined the criteria used for team selection and confirmed that the federation would not revise the chosen line up. She also filed an application against the World Curling Federation following its decision on the same date, which stated that responsibility for team selection rests with the national federation.
In her applications, Ms Romei alleges that the selection process involved a conflict of interest. She claims that the process favoured the daughter of the federation’s Technical Director over an athlete with greater experience and qualifications.
In the application against the Italian Ice Sports Federation, Ms Romei requests that the Court of Arbitration for Sport sets aside the federation’s decision and orders that she replaces the selected athlete. In the separate application against the World Curling Federation, she requests that the Court sets aside the federation’s decision and orders the same outcome.
A hearing will be scheduled once the parties involved reach agreement on procedural arrangements.
