SINGAPORE — Two Italian swimmers, including 2024 Olympic bronze medallist Benedetta Pilato, were briefly detained at Singapore’s Changi Airport after taking perfume from a duty-free shop without paying, media reports said on Friday.

Pilato, 20, and teammate Chiara Tarantino, 22, were in Singapore for the World Aquatics Championships. 

After the event, they went on a Bali holiday before returning for their flight home. 

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, CCTV reportedly showed Tarantino placing the perfume into Pilato’s suitcase.

Both were handcuffed and spent a night in police custody. 

The Italian sports daily reported they were later released under hotel confinement following intervention from the Italian embassy.

Both women’s passports held temporarily, and they received a judicial warning before returning to Italy on August 20.

The Italian Swimming Federation told swimming news organisation SwimSwam the incident occurred during personal vacation time, outside official federation activities. 

It added that it “reserves the right to carefully evaluate the matter” and may investigate further if necessary.

Pilato addressed the incident on Instagram, saying she "collaborated with local authorities from the very beginning" and called the episode a learning experience about “prudence, individual responsibility and the value of the people around [her]”.

Meanwhile, Tarantino has deactivated her social media accounts.