The Olympic journey for Italian short track skater Sighel took a drastic turn when he faced elimination from the 500-meter event after a significant fall caused by a collision with a Canadian opponent. Initially experiencing success with a medal and heightened popularity from his relay team's gold performance, Sighel's fortunes changed as he faced multiple setbacks throughout his competitions. Notably, after the semifinal incident, he expressed his discontent by leaving the venue without engaging with media or participating in subsequent events, highlighting his dissatisfaction with the officiating decisions.

In the semifinal of the 500 meters, Sighel was knocked down by Canadian skater Laoun, who attempted to overtake him but pushed him off balance, resulting in Sighel’s fall. Despite the clear physical interference, officials did not penalize Laoun, which intensified Sighel's frustrations. Following the incident, he hurried to the locker room, abandoned his skates, and omitted any post-race interviews, indicating a sense of disillusionment with the competition and the judges, whom he implied were biased by consistently unfavorable decisions.

This experience adds to Sighel's tumultuous Olympic stint, having already faced disqualification in the 1,000 meters and an unfortunate exit from the 1,500-meter event following another controversial encounter. His performances have sparked discussions about the fairness of the judging in short track events and the emotional toll of high-stakes competitions on athletes, especially under the scrutiny of international championships. Sighel's departure from the competition reflects broader issues in sports governance and athlete rights in ensuring fair play and respect for competitor safety.