CAIRONI Martina

Classification
T63, F63 (IPC, 15 Mar 2021)

Type of Impairment
Limb deficiency (Athlete, 16 Jul 2017)

Origin of Impairment
Acquired (Athlete, 16 Jul 2017)

Impairment Details
In 2007 she was involved in a motorcycle accident that resulted in the amputation of her left leg above the knee. (go4all.it, 10 Aug 2016; storiedisport.it, 09 Dec 2012; superabile.it, 16 Aug 2012)

General
SANCTION
In November 2019 she tested positive for the banned steroid clostebol in an out-of-competition test in Bologna, Italy. She was provisionally suspended and missed the 2019 World Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. She said the banned substance was contained in a cream she used to treat an ulcer on the stump of her amputated leg, which she said she had used in small doses before declaring it as a Therapeutic Use Exemption [TUE]. She initially faced a 12-month ban, but Italy's national anti-doping organisation accepted her explanation that use of the cream was for therapeutic purposes and not intended to enhance performance. She was handed a four-month ban that ended on 09 March 2020. "I was naive, I read the leaflet for the cream and asked a federal doctor, but I should have investigated further, especially the TUE procedure." (apnews.com, 07 Nov 2019; bergamo.corriere.it, 03 Feb 2020; bergamo.corriere.it, 07 Feb 2020; raiplayradio.it, 10 Feb 2020)

IMPACT OF SANCTION
The four-month suspension she received in late 2019 significantly impacted her psychological well-being, which was compounded by an infected ulcer on her stump that left her unable to train. "I consider myself a balanced person, but at that point I was afraid of hurting myself. I had no way to vent. I'm hyperactive and couldn't run. I felt abandoned, excluded from my world, everything was crumbling. It can drive you crazy. I even thought about changing sports, to snowboarding, which I really like. I vented on my poor husband. If I had been alone, who knows what might have happened. The experience has made me grow up. It helped me, even if it hardened my heart a little. It taught me to be patient. I don't want to forget this episode, but now I am looking forward. The ulcer on my stump is better now, but I have to be careful not to force it." (bergamo.corriere.it, 07 Feb 2020)

TOKYO PROSTHESIS
The prosthesis that she intends to wear at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo has been designed by postgraduate students at the European Institute of Design [IED] in Milan, Italy. "Since I like colours and I like to express myself through them, I asked the young IED designers to do something that would suit me. They managed with their professionalism to reflect my desire. A design object like this is something lasting and can have an impact not only on my life, but also on the people who will see me in the race and to which I will be able to communicate something different." (ilgiorno.it, 04 Oct 2020; raiplayradio.it, 29 Sep 2020; ilfaroonline.it, 09 Sep 2020)

MEDIA APPEARANCES
She has appeared in documentaries called 'Niente Sta Scritto' [Nothing Is Written] and 'L'Aria Sul Viso' [The Air on the Face]. She also featured in the music video for the song 'Change' by the Italian band Earth Beat Movement. (Athlete, 30 Jun 2020)