It was an unnerving start to the Olympics for figure skater Christina Carreira, who was entangled in a dizzying search to locate her costumes ahead of the Milano Cortina Winter Games.
In a message shared Thursday on Instagram, Carreira disclosed she departed for Italy without her costumes and explained she and her team had been trying to connect with FedEx about shipping to no avail.
“I left for the Olympics today without my costumes, they were shipped last Saturday, they were supposed to arrive Monday (Jan 26th) before 8:30am,” the 25-year-old ice dancer began. “We’ve been calling since Monday, everyone at FedEx has been extremely unhelpful, my package has been stuck in Memphis since Monday, they’ve been telling us that it will be put on the next flight for the last 3 days. There’s been no movement, and no one seems to be able to help.”
Lisa McKinnon, the designer behind Carreira’s looks, also took to social media to call out the shipping giant, expressing disappointment over the ordeal.
“We’re heartbroken and so incredibly disappointed with you! We really really need you to come through for us right now!! We have an Olympic costume that has allegedly been ‘stuck’ at the memphis fedex facility since Sunday. It was supposed to be delivered on Monday before 8:30am and it’s now Thursday and the skaters are literally on their way to the Olympics in Milan without the costume!!!” McKinnon detailed in a Jan. 29 Instagram post.
“We’ve been calling every day and have been told it will be on the plane and delivered ‘tomorrow’. Still no movement nor actual update.”
One day after putting out a plea to her followers for help, McKinnon provided an encouraging update.
“Our small, but mighty, skating community has come together and through a friend of a friend within US Figure Skating, whom had a collegue in Memphis that knew someone that worked at the hub and that could physically go find the package, it was found late last night and is en route for delivery today! Thank you!!!” she wrote Friday on Instagram.
Speaking to USA Today about the matter, McKinnon recognized the hardships impacting the Memphis area amid a brutal stretch of winter storms and with that, “Noted the situation could come off as insensitive,” per the outlet.
Carreira has since arrived in Italy and is preparing to skate for Team USA after a lengthy process.
The athlete, who was born in Montreal, earned her U.S. citizenship in November to complete a seven-year journey.
“This summer, applying for citizenship, I was getting pretty stressed,” Carreira told NBC Sports. “You actually have to sign up for the Olympics, and you need to give a passport. And obviously my passport wasn’t approved.”
She and partner Anthony Ponomarenko, who is a San Jose, Calif. native, are now set for the Olympic spotlight, having “represented the United States internationally at both the junior and senior levels for over 12 years,” per NBC.
The 2026 Winter Olympics begin on Friday and run through Feb. 22.
