Overview
- Pilato broke her silence on Chora Media’s Vivavoce podcast, calling the August airport episode a youthful mistake and offering apologies.
- Reports say surveillance cameras recorded teammate Chiara Tarantino placing perfumes in Pilato’s bag, prompting Singapore agents to stop the swimmers, search them, and withhold passports before the matter was resolved quickly.
- The Italian swimming federation’s federal prosecutor imposed a 90-day suspension on Pilato, which she served, costing her the December short-course European Championships.
- She described significant emotional strain during her time away, saying she cried, feared she had ruined everything, and was hurt by social-media commentary.
- Having resumed training in Rome under coach Mirko Nozzolillo, she is targeting the European Championships in Paris from August 10 to 16.