Italian rower Giacomo Perini was stripped of his Paralympics bronze medal and disqualified on Sunday after a mobile phone was discovered on his boat in Paris.
The 28-year-old, who had finished third in the PR1 men’s single sculls final – an event for athletes who row using only their arms and shoulders – maintained that the phone was an oversight and that he had not used it for communication.
World Rowing later confirmed his disqualification, cutting his celebration short.
“In the final of the PR1 men’s singles, the Italian athlete was found to be using communications equipment during the race, in violation of Rule 28 and Appendix R2, Bye-Law of Rule 28,” a World Rowing statement said.
Perini said it was an oversight, that he left his phone in a small bag on the boat that also contained a bottle of water, and disagreed with the wording of the statement, saying he was not in breach of the rule.
“They didn’t ‘find’ me simply because I never used the mobile phone on the boat,” Perini told ANSA.
“I gave the phone to the jury so that they could see that the last call was from the night before, with the psychologist.
“The rules do not say that you cannot bring the phone, but that you cannot communicate.”
The rule in question states that “no communication with the crew is permitted from outside the boat using electric or electronic equipment.”
The Italian Rowing Federation filed an appeal, which was rejected. They said they are preparing to appeal the decision to the World Rowing Executive Board.
Erik Horrie of Australia was promoted from fourth place, with Britain’s Benjamin Pritchard winning gold and Ukraine’s Roman Polianskyi taking silver.
