Federica Brignone has ended her nearly two-decade association with the Italian military sports system, announcing via social media that she has resigned from the Centro Sportivo Carabinieri to return to her childhood team, Sci Club Courmayeur.
Resignation From the Carabinieri and Return to Sci Club Courmayeur
Brignone, who was promoted to the rank of marshal for her athletic achievements, stated on social media that she has decided to step down from the Carabinieri sports center. In her statement, she expressed gratitude to the military organization for supporting her through years of major international success. She confirmed that she will pull on the racing suit of the Sci Club Courmayeur, the Valdostana society where she first started skiing competitively in 1996. Founded in 1912 and currently presided over by Andrea Arnaldi with Rudi Picchiottino serving as technical director, the club counts about 300 registered athletes. The departure from the sports center marked the dawn of her revelation that the club’s colors would represent her for the 2026/27 season, echoing her early years alongside her mother, Ninna Quario.
The announcement initially sparked concern among winter sports fans who briefly feared the move signaled an immediate retirement from professional competition.
Financial Stakes and the Military Sports System in Italy
Brignone’s departure highlights the broader structure of Italian winter and Olympic sports, where approximately 70 percent of competing athletes are enrolled in military and police sports groups. For many Italian competitors, the monthly salary associated with military rank provides essential financial stability. Records show that Brignone’s marshal rank carried a salary of around 1,700 euros per month, though established champions often look beyond military structures as their careers mature. She had sworn in as a marshal on December 22, a rank conferred for athletic merits.
Military Departure Enables New Entrepreneurial Paths and Sponsorships
The choice to leave the military corps opens avenues for new entrepreneurial paths and sponsorships that previously required authorization from the Arma dei Carabinieri. Leadership at Sci Club Courmayeur noted that they believe Brignone perceived their philosophy, making her move a natural choice of heart and gut. Welcoming her back, the club issued a statement celebrating her return: Ben tornata nello Sci Club Courmayeur Monte Bianco: orgogliosi di averti visto portare Courmayeur Mont Blanc e la Valle d’Aosta sui gradini più alti della Coppa del Mondo e dei Giochi Olimpici
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Physical Recovery and Sofia Goggia Heading to the United States
While Brignone works toward a competitive return following a severe knee injury sustained in April 2025—having missed the opening World Cup event in Sölden on October 24 and currently training exclusively in the gym rather than on snow, with no confirmed date for her comeback though she hopes to participate in the Crans Montana World Championships next February—fellow Italian alpine skier Sofia Goggia is preparing for her own immediate comeback in North America. Goggia missed the opening giant slalom of the season in Sölden due to two viruses contracted during preparation in South America.
Having resumed training on the Rattenbach piste and in Val Senales, Goggia is targeting the upcoming World Cup tour stops in the United States, anchored by the giant slalom scheduled at Killington on November 28.
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