Colin Furlong aims to win more titles with Ritten. © Max Pattis

Finally an Italian: Now Furlong dreams of the Olympics

Colin Furlong had to wait a long time, but now it is finally a fact: The Canadian has received his Italian passport and is now eligible to play for the national team.

July 18, 2025

Seven years ago, Colin Furlong joined HC Pustertal. The now 32-year-old quickly established himself as one of the best goalies in the Alps Hockey League (AlpsHL). After being named Most Valuable Player in 2020, the Canadian led the Rittner Buam to a treble in 2024: AlpsHL, Scudetto, and Supercup. Furlong found not only his sporting happiness in South Tyrol, but also his personal happiness. In May 2021, he married his wife Carmen, with whom he has one child.

A lengthy process then began, which culminated in the granting of Italian citizenship in recent weeks. "I already passed the necessary exams during my time at HC Gherdëina. However, two years have to pass before you can apply for citizenship. I also had some trouble obtaining the necessary documents from Canada," explains the Buam goalkeeper. From the time of application, it could take another one to two years before the passport is issued. The time finally came in the last few weeks.

Olympia a dream

"It was a long time coming, so the joy and relief were all the greater," Furlong says of the moment he received the good news. Now he's no longer a burden on the Buam's foreign player quota, and he can now also play for the Italian national team. "I've already extended my contract with Ritten, so it's a bonus, so to speak. The club can now sign another foreign player, which is undoubtedly a good thing," says the right-winger.

A guarantee of success: Colin Furlong © Max Pattis

New horizons are opening up for him, too. Next year's Olympic Games in his home country are suddenly a topic of conversation. "I don't know how good my chances actually are, because Italy has a lot of strong goalies. But I'll do everything in my power to work towards that goal," Furlong emphasizes. Nations are allowed to call up three goalkeepers for the Olympics. Damian Clara and Davide Fadani are likely to be chosen for the Azzurri, but the race is wide open for them.

After about two months in his native Canada, Furlong has now returned to South Tyrol to prepare for the new season with the Buam. The Canadian's goal is clear: to win titles, deliver strong performances, and thus qualify for the Olympics.