«I have never really explained why I came to Rome from Veneto: I have a coach reported when I saw him kiss one of my colleagues fourteen year old. He was indicted but before the end of the trial I was banned from all the gyms in the Veneto” The spotlight on the life of Manuel Bortuzzo turns on on that terrible night in February 2019. a mistaken identity, a gunshot, a career in professional swimming cut short at just nineteen years old. No one knew, or perhaps had wondered, why he had arrived in the capital from the Northeast. The answer is in one of the central chapters of «Suns of the Storm. Discipline and harmony to face the battles of life” (Rizzoli) the second book written by Bortuzzo in the imminence of the adventure at the Paris Paralympics. A title that recounts the years in which Manuel arrives on television, he becomes a public figure courted by fashion. Until participating in Big Brother. There are also bonds: friendships, loves, which do not always have the strength to fill loneliness. And some shadows of the past never revealed before.
What is the reason why he left Veneto…
«When I was seventeen, a serious event happened that changed the course of my destiny. I caught one of the two instructors with whom I trained in Mestre, who was also the president of the company, kissing a fourteen-year-old student. On Thursdays he used to call all the little girls and take them to a secluded area of the pool to weigh them. I saw him leave that room one day with one of them, I thought at the time that I had seen wrong, that I had been wrong, so I investigated and the following Thursday I lurked nearby and caught them together again in an intimate attitude. I reported it, there was an investigation, the man was indicted, they found child pornography material on him, the abuse had lasted for over a year. In short, a bad story.”
It was a great act of courage.
«I believe I did what was right. When the man then learned that it was I who had reported him, before ending up in prison he managed to get me banned from all the swimming pools in the Veneto. The second coach then reported me to an important club in Rome and the real reason why I ended up training in the capital was revealed, it wasn’t ambition or a dream that brought me here, but a strange twist of fate.”
This is the first time you have told this story, why?
«As long as there were proceedings I didn’t want to say anything, then I chose not to reveal any more details out of respect for people who have been through dark times. But I wanted to give a minimum hint, otherwise you wouldn’t understand anything about why I had come to Rome. I came here a bit out of obligation. But what I did makes me proud and proud.”
Beyond this chapter of his life, the book chronicles his years after the accident. With an important title: because everyone by Manuel Bortuzzo knows the storm, few know the loneliness.
«Everyone knows the strong part of me, but it’s not that simple for me. They say I have a lot of courage, but I fight fear and loneliness every day. And I wanted to open up, really tell what I feel to others because there are many people who experience the same emotions as me. Sharing them helps you feel understood.”
In what spirit are you preparing to face the Paris Paralympics?
«I hope with as little anxiety as possible. My heart is exploding with joy, I just want to try to enjoy this adventure to the fullest, with my coach Francesco Bonanni we did our best.”
How difficult was it to start training again after the accident?
«It was the most difficult thing, I spent two years pretending to work and instead I spent my days in the whirlpool instead of in the tub. In the end the main problem was me: I had to find the winning mentality again. Luckily I succeeded »In the book she talks about her relationship with Fabio, her piano teacher».
What role did music play in its rebirth?
«Music saved my life, having a piano when no one was there was fundamental. Music never abandons you.”
He talks openly about his friendship with Alex, who was “his legs” for five years. Then you walked away.
«Alex is a pianist and was a fundamental presence for me. He was one of the most important people in my life, for many years he was the legs I no longer had. We traveled a lot, did many beautiful things. Then he walks away from us, it happens. Life priorities began to arise for both of us, he followed his, I followed mine. But no relationship is compromised forever. So… who knows.”
He also writes that sports may not necessarily be his future. What would you like to do?
«Some trains are lost forever, on others I have the feeling that there might still be room for me; certain occasions or relationships you always think could return at any moment. It happened like this with swimming, it remained dormant for years, then it recurred. This year was dedicated to sports preparation but also to reflecting on my future. I would like to get involved in many work-related things. It would be nice, for example, to think of an accessible sports center, within everyone’s reach. I’m doing various evaluations.”
The book also talks about past loves, mentioning the encounter (potentially toxic, he writes) with Lulù Selassie on Big Brother on TV. Do you think it is difficult to have a romantic relationship with Manuel Bortuzzo?
«I don’t think it’s difficult to be close to me, I don’t demand anything, I’m not interested in the surroundings of conventions and social obligations. I believe that it is actually much simpler than you might think. Love at this moment is a door that remains open.”
If you look back, can you say that the storm has passed?
«Probably the biggest one yes, but then I realize that the storm is a constant emotional state. The difference is that now I know how to welcome it and live it. Let’s say that any type of storm can arrive now: it doesn’t scare me.”
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The Gazzettino
