ROME (BN24) — Giacomo Tortu, brother of Olympic gold medalist Filippo Tortu, has been suspended for three years by Italy’s athletics governing body for spying on sprint star and two-time Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs.
The Italian Athletics Federation (FIDAL) announced Thursday that Giacomo Tortu had received two separate suspensions totaling 36 months, stemming from an attempt to access Jacobs’s private information via a private investigation agency. According to Italian media, the goal was to uncover potential evidence of doping by Jacobs.
Tortu, a former athlete and now president of the Milan Raptors athletics club, was initially given a 30-month suspension for violating principles enshrined in the federation’s code of conduct. FIDAL cited breaches of loyalty, integrity, fairness in sport, and respect for federal regulations.
An additional six-month ban was imposed for acting with the intention of committing or concealing another offense, or for attempting to obtain personal or competitive advantage.
FIDAL emphasized that Filippo Tortu — a key member of Italy’s historic 4×100-meter relay team that won Olympic gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021 — was not involved in the incident and had no knowledge of his brother’s actions.
Jacobs made headlines at the Tokyo Olympics by winning the men’s 100-meter final in 9.80 seconds, a stunning victory that marked Italy’s first-ever title in the event. Just days later, he teamed up with Filippo Tortu and teammates to secure gold in the relay, narrowly edging Great Britain.
Jacobs has since remained a central figure in European sprinting, winning 100-meter titles at the European Championships in both 2022 and 2024. Despite battling injuries, he reached the final at the 2024 Paris Olympics, placing fifth, and finished fourth with the relay team.
At the 2023 World Championships, Jacobs and Filippo Tortu claimed silver in the 4×100-meter relay. However, his recent form dipped, with Jacobs failing to progress past the semifinals at the 2025 World Championships held in Tokyo.
The scandal surrounding Giacomo Tortu underscores the pressure and scrutiny surrounding elite athletes in the wake of Olympic success. Neither Jacobs nor his representatives have publicly commented on the attempted data breach.
