Fabio Basile fought in Rio at -66kg but 15 months later he began to appear on the World Judo Tour at -73kg. In his new category he won a number of medals, including a Paris bronze and a gold in Tel Aviv 3 years ago. His last medal, though, was gold in Antalya in the Spring of 2021, almost two years ago. We haven’t seen him at all since Hungary last year and there has been radio silence too, not at all like the Italian champion, a flamboyant character in world judo.
“Everybody lost something in life; we all see loss,” says the 28 year old. “I speak now from the position of someone who just lost but nothing can change the longer term mentality and how I see the future. This is the difference. When you lose you must hold your head up and continue to focus on what you will do.
The hard part is that I know I spent the last 5 months without making a mistake, training so hard in the early mornings and at night and I lost 12kg to make this adjustment. It was a big choice and a commitment.
Something changed in my life and like I said, there has been loss but regardless of this I know I will win again later. Some might say I failed and I’m finished, that I should stop but I don’t need to stop or take a rest. Those people are not important though. My guide is myself!"
"It’s not easy to see positive things at this exact moment but if I allow myself to see negatives then that is how I will respond, negatively. I have to be different and see the positives and get up early tomorrow morning to run 10km, not to be healthy for the next competition, but for focus and to maintain my commitment. Just from the result today, I don’t need rest. There will be a lot of time for a big rest later.
I don’t think about what other people say. I just follow what I think and I am the only one who can make it happen. I compete with myself both in judo and in life. If I compete with others then I encourage comparison but if I only compete with me there is nothing to say from outside. In the mirror I see the enemy and the biggest supporter.”
Why now, why today? It must be hard, it could be seen is a mistake or even foolhardy to come back to -66kg after such a long time.
“It’s not been difficult to come back today, not at all, because I already started 5 months ago. It is not about today, but about the whole period and the change and the work. Yes, I cried when I lost but this is normal. If I continue to cry I will lose again so it’s time to smile and step forward and believe in my skills."
"Antalya is next. I will change nothing between now and then. I know I didn’t make mistakes to get here and this version of me is committed to the line.
On the mat I feel free. I felt free in the fight with Margvelashvili right up until the final bell. I enjoyed fighting with him. It’s such a hard fight and against a very good man. I need space in my judo and he always finds a way to close that down. Tactically it’s a tough match. Today he beat me and there is no excuse but everyone has loss so tomorrow I will be better. I will be a champion again. I have the courage to say it now and it will happen; maybe not today or next month but it’s coming.
One year ago my brother passed away. This is not an excuse, nor even something I was planning to talk about. It’s the opposite. It’s a driver because I really understand that we must take all opportunities that we have. He didn’t get the chance to continue but I will take all the opportunities I can to enjoy and to achieve. This perspective became stronger with his death because it was so clear that his chances were over.
I improved my lifestyle a lot. I’m not willing to make poor decisions or to rely on something like luck. Now I have to do all the right things and this means that I create the best conditions for me to win again. This work and commitment and the understanding that while we are here we all have choices, this is what is important.”
Fabio’s words are very different from the excitement he exuded when he first came to the World Judo Tour as a teenager. His belief is the same but now he has chosen to ensure he is the reason for his own success, no excuses, no mistakes and no blame, just work and commitment.