Two Italian swimmers banned from Singapore for shoplifting at Changi airport

Singapore police confirmed reports on Thursday that Chiara Tarantino, 22, and Benedetta Pilato, 20, were arrested on Aug. 14 for stealing three bottles of perfume from a duty-free shop.

Tarantino and Pilato were in Singapore for the World Aquatics Championships, where Pilato won a bronze medal in the 50 m breaststroke, and were returning to Italy after a short holiday in Bali, CNA reported.

Security footage from the airport's transit area showed Tarantino placing the perfume inside Pilato’s suitcase. They were detained by airport police, and after intervention by staff from the Italian embassy, the swimmers were released and taken to a hotel, where they were restricted from leaving.

On Tuesday, the Italian embassy confirmed that both women had returned to Italy.

Italian swimmer Benedetta Pilato. Photo by Instagram/@benedetta.pilato

Police announced the women received a 12-month conditional warning on Aug. 19. The warning stipulates that they must not commit any further offenses during this period. Additionally, they were banned from re-entering Singapore, which is significant as it regularly hosts major international swimming events, including the World Aquatics Championships and the FINA World Swimming Cup, according to The Strait Times.

The Italian Swimming Federation condemned the incident but noted that it would not pursue legal action, as the situation was resolved with Singaporean authorities.

Head coach Cesare Butini expressed disappointment in the swimmers' actions, calling it a "great disappointment".

"I will tell them they have done something very stupid. They are ambassadors, even when they don’t wear the [national uniform]. What they did is very serious. Ending up on the front page for this, no thanks," Butini said, as quoted by Italian daily La Repubblica.

While Tarantino has remained silent about the incident, Pilato posted on social media, expressing regret over the situation.

"I never intended to commit inappropriate gestures, and those who know me know how much I care about sport values, fairness and personal honesty. From this experience, I’ve learned great lessons about prudence, individual responsibility and the value of the people around me."