Rai, Italy’s public broadcaster, is facing protests from sports journalists over a series of gaffes by Paolo Petrecca, the Rai sports director, during the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony.

Mistakes included mislabeling Milan’s San Siro as the Olympico stadium, mixing up Matilda De Angelis with Mariah Carey, and wrongly presenting IOC President Kirsty Coventry as the President’s daughter.

The criticism intensified because Petrecca only stepped in after predecessor Auro Bulbarelli left following the premature reveal of President Mattarella’s appearance on an orange tram, which had been driven by Valentino Rossi.

Protesters argue the issue goes beyond politics, stressing that Rai’s public-service role and licence-fee payers deserve respect and journalistic dignity.

Ahead of the Games, Rai’s broader Olympic coverage continued with multiple sports and ongoing attention to safety, logistics, and organizational responses.

RaiSport acknowledged the fallout and said it intends to address the situation and restore credibility in its Olympics coverage.

Rai’s chief executive urged Petrecca to take responsibility while warning against turning internal disputes into public drama during the Games.

As part of management’s measures, bylines for reporters will be removed from reports for the remainder of the Olympics to avoid individual attribution amid the controversy.

The report is attributed to AFP and published on February 10, 2026, with ongoing reactions from fans and journalists.

Opposition politicians criticized Rai’s handling of leadership appointments, arguing the broadcaster has become a political mouthpiece under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government, prompting calls for accountability from unions like Usigrai.

Additional Olympic venue coverage noted issues such as ice quality and arena delays affecting competition, reflecting broader concerns about event execution.

There is talk of further consequences for Petrecca, including potential exclusion from covering the closing ceremony and the absence of journalist names in protest reports.