Federica Sanfilippo quits in protest – Dorothea Wierer rages

Italian biathlete Federica Sanfilippo chooses to end her career in protest.

Now teammate Dorothea Wierer is furious.

“Our dream is shattered”writes the big star on Instagram.

The Italian national biathlon team is once again shaken by a crack. Veteran Federica Sanfilippo, 32, who had previously been almost a given in the relay team, was poked in the relay in Ruhpolding and was then informed that she is not selected in the squad for this week’s competitions in Antholz, Italy.

Now she chooses to end her biathlon career prematurely, with only weeks left until the World Cup and three years until the home Olympics in Italy.

Instead, she switches sports to cross-country skiing.

“I got a bit of a shock when they told me that I wasn’t selected for Antholz and immediately realized that I have no chance of making the World Cup squad. That’s why I immediately chose to make the toughest decision I’ve made in my career”says Sanfilippo according to the site Fondo Italia.

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Wierer rages

Sanfilippo is close friends with the Italian national team’s biggest star – Dorothea Wierer. Now Wierer goes for a frontal attack against the national team leadership.

“23 years ago we started our biathlon adventure together. I find it difficult to accept what you have been exposed to. You didn’t deserve to be treated like this, you didn’t get the chances you should have. The people in charge of our national team have never liked you and therefore this became inevitable. I am very sad and disappointed. Our dream was to compete in the home Olympics together, but we can’t do that now. Our dream has been shattered”writes Wierer on Instagram.

“Not friends”

It is not the first time that the Italian national biathlon team has been shaken by a crack. In the past, it has been about Dorothea Wierer’s relationship with another teammate – Lisa Vittozzi.

– Me and Dorothea Wierer have two opposite personalities and we don’t always get along. We are not friends, Vittozzi said then.

– Of course I get annoyed that she is talking about this now, replied Wierer.

check The WC in Oberhof will be decided February 8-19.