Pizza Hut steps in after disputed fencing final between Italy and Hong Kong at 2024 Paris Olympics

By Anirudh

Modified Jul 31, 2024 11:02 GMT

The disputed fencing final between Italy and Hong Kong at the 2024 Paris Olympics has seen an unlike party step in and add to the drama. Hong Kong's Cheung Ka-long defeated Italy's Filippo Macchi 15-14 in a disputed bout on Tuesday (July 30). The Asian nation clinched gold, much to the ire of the Italians and their fans.

The controversy arose when the scores were level at 14-14 and both men thought they had secured the victory. However, a video review to overrule the referee saw Cheung, who trailed 14-12 at one point, eventually win the contest.

This led to a lot of discussion online, with Italian fans even flooding Cheung's Instagram profile and accusing Hong Kong of robbing Italy. In response, Hong Kong fans began making statements about their love for pineapple pizza and pasta with soy sauce, mocking Italian cuisine.

The Hong Kong branch of Pizza Hut, an American multinational restaurant chain and franchise, also waded into the discussion. They posted an advertisement on Facebook that showed pizza covered in pineapples alongside a fencer skewering a pineapple. It also said that customers could add pineapple toppings for free when dining at their restaurant.

"The Hong Kong team won the gold medal and another bronze medal on the same day. Today, the citizens of Hong Kong are super happy and excited! To celebrate this happy hour HUT, from today 6pm to July 31, any pizza can be added with pineapple ingredients for free at all restaurant branches. The quantity is limited. The gift is limited until it runs out," the advertisement read. [translated]

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Italy lodges formal complaint after Hong Kong beat Italy to fencing gold medal at 2024 Paris Olympics

Cheung Ka-long with the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics - Getty Images

The Italian National Olympic Committee has lodged a formal complaint after Hong Kong's Cheung Ka-long beat Italy's Filippo Macchi to the gold medal in a controversial fashion.

After the event, Macchi’s trainer Stefano Cerioni said that he had never experienced such an incident in his career and that the 22-year-old deserved to have won the gold.

“I’ve never seen anything like this, neither as an athlete or coach. I would hope it is just incompetence, I would not want to suggest anything else. The judges abstained, this is serious for the lad. Macchi is the moral winner. He won it three times, but found himself second,” he said. (via South China Morning Post)

“My heart breaks for him because we worked so hard. He deserved this win because he landed his thrusts. Silver is a great medal, but gold is something else. Now we need to wait four years to try again,” he added.

Despite having to settle for silver, Macchi praised Cheung and said that he should have finished the match by consolidating the lead instead.