Emanuel Perathoner was robbed at the Paralympic Games. © Instagram

At the Paralympics: South Tyrolean gold medalist robbed

The Paralympic Winter Games were a complete success for Emanuel Perathoner. But in the end, the snowboarder from Lajen experienced an annoying surprise.

March 19, 2026

From: det

Emanuel Perathoner was one of the great heroes of the Paralympics. The snowboarder, who previously competed in the World Cup and has been competing as a para-athlete since a serious injury, won two gold medals. The 39-year-old from Lajen was in a class of his own in both snowboard cross and banked slalom.

What happened next is all the more frustrating. During the awards ceremony on Friday, two of Perathoner's snowboards were stolen. "That's really annoying," the South Tyrolean said when asked. SportNews. "I immediately filed a report with the Carabinieri and launched an appeal on Instagram. So far, however, no one has responded."

An extremely rare bond

A snowboard costs 900 euros, with bindings adding another 600 euros. The two bindings, in particular, are rare. "They're limited editions. One is grey and purple, the other yellow and black. There are only two of the yellow and black bindings in the entire world, so you can't buy them," says Perathoner. "It's a frustrating situation. The chances of these snowboards turning up are relatively slim."

Perathoner's appeal on Instagram.

The Paralympics ended in a frustrating way for Perathoner. However, his joy over the two gold medals remains immense. Perathoner is now in Spain, the home country of his wife, Belén. His season is now over. "After two stressful weeks, it's time to relax a bit," said Perathoner.