Overview
- The organizing committee said on January 17 that Boldi was removed because his comments were judged incompatible with Olympic values.
- The move followed an interview in Il Fatto Quotidiano in which the actor delivered a crude line about sex and aperitifs.
- Organizers emphasized that torchbearers must embody respect, unity and inclusion, with legal background checks and ethical vetting, and noted that nominations can come from the foundation, host cities, sponsors, regional CONI bodies, territorial entities and the IOC.
- The episode feeds a wider dispute over VIP selections versus athletes, as CONI’s Luciano Buonfiglio detailed the athletes within CONI’s remit and CIP’s Marco Giunio De Sanctis said he changed some names to prioritize major paralympic champions.
- Boldi expressed remorse after the decision, saying the remark was a joke and offering an apology to those offended and to the organizers.