Running for the Truth: Alex Schwazer (Il Caso Alex Schwazer)

Doping cases

vary greatly.

Especially when you have a story like mine.

When you win the Olympics, everything changes.

To be honest, I felt like I was at my peak.

Italian racewalker Schwazer stopped for doping.

They were merciless to Schwazer. As an athlete, they've killed him.

Sometimes I didn't know how to make it to the next day.

I was afraid he'd lose his mind.

I said, "My goodness, something's wrong."

I did what he asked me to because I trusted him.

I hope the news isn't leaked.

There'd be an international outcry.

This kraut has to be killed.

It wasn't a sports story. It was a scary Mafia story.

If they prove Alex was framed, the anti-doping system collapses.

Question whether you think I'm always doped.

I won't abandon you like they did.

Oil and water mixed for a common goal.

Winning the Rio Olympic Games.

I'm for expulsion.

The coach himself said,

"Those responsible for this sporting murder

should be sought inside the IAAF."

The suffering we've endured is atrocious.

They've damaged this sport much more than I have.

He's dealing with ruthless people against him.

But they're all afraid of him,

because they know he is unbeatable.

RUNNING FOR MY TRUTH

CALICE ITALY

My relationship with hard work started when I was a child.

But I never perceived it as...

painful.

More like an inner challenge.

We would climb mountain peaks, sometimes 3,500 meters high,

at 11 to 12 years of age.

And for me, it was a natural thing.

I'm pretty sure if a child tells you he's walked for ten hours,

you'll say he's crazy.

But for me, at the time, it was normal.

And I really loved going to a place not everyone can get to.

And I truly believe that my passion for long distances was born there,

in my childhood.

Racewalking is different from other sports.

You have to sweat,

but you must also respect two rules.

The contact with the terrain

and a straight knee position.

Difficult, I'd say.

A racewalker doing the 50K walks like that for almost four hours.

At the same time, you think,

"How do I put my foot down?"

"How is the thrust?"

It's an... even higher level of difficulty.

That's why I think racewalking is so fascinating.

BEIJING 2008 OLYMPICS

I went to the Olympics in Beijing to win.

You can't let yourself to be overwhelmed by the atmosphere because...

because you're there to conclude your mission.

For the race, I wanted to be the first in my group.

Because if you want to win, you have to be in front.

It was nighttime here and I was alone.

ICE SKATER

Watching the race, and... I stayed up all night.

I saw him in a group. I said, "Oh, good."

"If he stays in a group, he's okay."

"But alone, he might collapse."

I had a serious health issue.

Inflammation to both my tibiales.

Everyone thinks it was an easy and simple race.

I was thinking "How is he? Is he okay?"

I was very nervous.

In the middle of the race, I wanted to quit.

And nobody knows this.

But I thought about all the sacrifices I had made.

So I set small goals.

And got back on track, one kilometer at a time.

One lap at a time.

One opponent at a time.

There were fewer in front of me now.

There were three of us.

We were passing a refreshment point.

That's when I thought,

"If I go for it now,

get some distance and go to the front,

I will overcome the pain in my tibiales."

Because once... you're leading at the Olympics,

after 40 kilometers, you won't stop.

It's impossible.

That's where I saw his energy.

"Today I want to show everyone."

And I realized, "Damn, today he's really gonna do it."

My coach said, "It's a medal."

"I don't care about a medal. I want to win."

Then, when I saw him arrive...

...I was overwhelmed.

It was amazing.

For a mother, it's really amazing.

As I entered the stadium, I kissed a mourning patch I was wearing.

Because... my grandfather had just died,

and I wanted him to be with me during the race.

He looked at the sky and said, "I did it, Grandpa."

For the final meters towards glory,

towards extraordinary success in this 50-kilometer walk.

These are the final meters for Alex Schwazer.

With a wave of his hand, he crosses the finish line.

Gold medal for Alex Schwazer.

Twenty-three years old. Gold medal...

I thought...

"This will be the most beautiful moment

of your life."

I wanted to freeze time.

I felt at the top... of what I could achieve.

I'm so thr...

I'm so excited.

We can see. But we know why. Because you knew you were the best.

And on the last lap outside,

I started crying.

We understand. It's an emotion that's too strong to describe.

I don't know.

I was feeling good today.

I wanted to win because...

because I deserve it, because...

I'm someone who doesn't cheat.

I can assure you of that.

And that's already a lot.

The best moment is after the race.

The anti-doping, the interviews, the press conference...

You go back to your room and you're alone.

For a moment, alone.

And you have the time to realize what happened.

Before, you didn't have time.

After, there's no time.

Because a journalist is asking if I'm the fiancé of Carolina Kostner.

I wanted to keep our relationship private.

But, obviously, being a public figure,

I knew this couldn't be possible.

I met Alex because I was working as Carolina Kostner's manager.

Carolina had won far less than him.

ALEX SCHWAZER'S MANAGER

But she was like a very famous fairy.

It bothered her that she was far more recognized than Alex,

even after he won the Olympic medal.

And that's because

she loved him.

What wouldn't we do for love?

From the long walk in Beijing,

to the ice skates on the Corvara Ice Stadium rink.

Alex looked great on the skates.

He'll be the next talent.

We never perceived we were different from other couples.

We never sought extraordinary things, you know?

The media portrayed us like that to keep it interesting for viewers.

The Ice Princess and the Emperor of racewalking,

Carolina Kostner, Alex Schwazer!

They're already famous, but they're set to become

one of the most popular and fashionable couples of 2009.

Authentic when talking about their love,

which blossomed a month before the Beijing Olympics.

Seeing a couple from the outside

and living it from the inside are completely different.

It was hard because we had important goals

with a long-distance relationship.

We didn't see each other much.

Love is very important. It's like winning a gold medal every day.

Carolina was added value for Alex,

in terms of promotion, both for Alex and his sport.

- Alex Schwazer! -

He participated in Zelig ,

and various shows where he could show his charming, fun side.

Go!

- Our treadmill! Sturmtruppen ! - Yes! Why not?

I love glasses. I love glasses.

You like them?

It was an exhausting time.

It got to the point where I wasn't able to eat for weeks.

A very stressful period.

I could never relax.

I just wanted to

enjoy my victory, but instead I felt like I was being

given away to someone, again and again.

After Beijing, he was sad.

I think he could have done with a break.

He needed to stop. He was empty.

This attention has been something really special.

But now, life goes on.

I need to start training properly again to achieve new results.

Eventually, everything around me made me sad,

and it made me think a lot.

When I eventually left for training,

I was even more tired than when I got to the finish line in Beijing.

I was fed up. With everything.