Italian swimmers given conditional warning over Changi Airport shoplifting incident
Benedetta Pilato, 20, and Chiara Tarantino, 22, will be banned from re-entering Singapore, the police said on Thursday (Sep 4).
Italian swimmers Benedetta Pilato (left) and Chiara Tarantino (right). (Photos: AFP/Alberto Pizzoli, World Aquatics)
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SINGAPORE: Two Italian swimmers were issued a one-year conditional warning on Aug 19 over an alleged shoplifting case at Changi Airport.
Benedetta Pilato, 20, and Chiara Tarantino, 22, were arrested on Aug 14 for shoplifting at the airport, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said in response to CNA queries on Thursday (Sep 4).
The pair were returning to Italy after a vacation in Bali following the conclusion of the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
“After consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case, and in consultation with the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC), the two women were administered a 12-month conditional warning on Aug 19,” the police said. They added that the pair will be banned from re-entering Singapore.
CNA has contacted the AGC for more information on why Pilato and Tarantino were not charged.
The police said that they had informed the Italian Embassy about the case so it could render consular assistance if necessary.
The Italian Embassy told CNA on Tuesday it had intervened and provided assistance to the swimmers, adding that the women returned to Italy on Aug 19.
Pilato won a bronze medal in the 50m breaststroke at the world championships in Singapore. She also won gold in the 100m breaststroke at the 2022 world championships and finished fourth in the same event at last year’s Paris Olympics.
Pilato wrote in an Instagram post: “On days that should have been mainly for rest and mental relaxation, I went through, far from home, particularly difficult moments, which fortunately turned out to be independent of my will, but which seriously affected me.”
She said that she had collaborated with Singapore authorities from the beginning, with the “full support” of the Italian embassy.
“Fortunately, the incident ended within a few hours, without any implications, thanks to my maximum transparency with the Singapore airport authorities.”
“I never intended to commit inappropriate gestures, and those who know me know how much I care about sport values, fairness and personal honesty,” Pilato added. “From this experience, I’ve learned great lessons about prudence, individual responsibility and the value of the people around me.”
Tarantino won a bronze medal in the mixed 4x100m free relay at the 2021 European championships.
