Paolo Petrecca, the director of sports at the Italian public broadcaster Rai, has stepped down after a series of embarrassing mistakes during his commentary of the Winter Olympics opening ceremony. His errors included misidentifying the location of the event, as he mistakenly stated it was being held at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico instead of Milan’s San Siro. Additionally, he confused Italian actress Matilda De Angelis with American singer Mariah Carey, as well as Kirsty Coventry, the president of the International Olympic Committee, with Laura Mattarella, the daughter of Italy’s president.

The controversial nature of his commentary ignited protests among Rai journalists, who felt that Petrecca's mistakes were indicative of his incompetence. His tenure was marked by allegations of political favoritism, particularly attributed to his connections with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government, leading to accusations that the appointment was more about political allegiance than professional qualifications. Following a board meeting, in which the gravity of the situation was discussed, Petrecca chose to resign, acknowledging the severe backlash against his performance.

The incident has captured the attention of the Italian opposition, who have seized upon Petrecca's resignation as a broader commentary on what they view as the politicization of public broadcasting. Critics argue that the management at Rai is skewed towards right-wing bias, with Petrecca’s appointment being particularly scrutinized as a symbol of patronage over merit in Italian media. This situation highlights ongoing tensions in the Italian media landscape, particularly regarding the influence of political affiliations in public service roles.