Italian Paralympic rower Giacomo Perini was stripped of his bronze medal in the PR1 Men's Single Sculls event after being found in violation of competition rules for using a communication device during the race. World Rowing officials confirmed that this breach led to his disqualification and ranking last, elevating Australian Erik Horrie to the bronze medal position. Perini's rowing federation claimed he simply forgot to remove his phone from the boat before the race, and they are appealing the decision. The incident has raised questions about the integrity of the competition, with Britain's Benjamin Pritchard, who won gold, commenting on the unusual nature of the violation. The outcome of the appeal by the Italian rowing authorities is still pending, and further reactions from the international governing body are expected soon.