A 15-year-old Italian basketball player, Sofia Di Vico, died after a suspected severe allergic reaction to milk proteins during a team trip. She had a known history of dairy allergy and reportedly developed symptoms shortly after consuming a meal.
The incident occurred on April 2, 2026, in Ostia, a coastal area near Rome, Italy. She was a student at the scientific high school “Nino Cortese” and a member of the youth team of Unio Basket Maddaloni. Sofia had travelled from Maddaloni with her team to participate in a basketball tournament. the “Mare di Roma Trophy in Pink.”
According to People, Sofia, who had a known allergy to dairy proteins, went out for dinner with her teammates. The group later returned to the campsite where they were staying overnight.
At around 10:40 PM, an alert was raised after Sofia suddenly became unwell. According to La Sicilia, she was able to say only two words: “I can’t breathe.”
Despite being given the medication she was carrying and being rushed by ambulance to the emergency department at Grassi Hospital in Ostia, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.
Preliminary information suggests that accidental ingestion of milk proteins may have triggered the reaction. The exact source of exposure remains unclear.
Authorities are investigating whether the restaurant had been informed about her allergy and if cross-contamination occurred during food preparation, and have directed that an autopsy be conducted at Policlinico Tor Vergata, a hospital in Rome, per La Sicilia.
FIP Campania, the regional basketball authority in southern Italy, announced on April 3 via a Facebook post that it had suspended all games scheduled for the weekend following the incident.
FIP Campania expresses its deepest condolences for the tragic passing of Sofia Di Vico, a young player for Uniobasket Maddaloni, who was preparing to compete with her team in the ‘Mare di Roma Trophy’ tournament.FIP Campania
Andrea De Filippo, the mayor of Maddaloni, also commented on the “terrible news” in a translated Facebook post on April 3, stating that the tragedy felt particularly personal as he knew Sofia’s family, as reported by People.
I learned with deep emotion and disbelief of the tragic passing of young Sofia — an event as sudden as it is inexplicable, which leaves immense sorrow and affects the entire city. It is a loss I feel particularly deeply as well, given the feelings of esteem and affection that have long tied me to her family. It is a day of profound sadness for all of us.Andrea De Filippo, Mayor, Maddaloni
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the incident. Officials are awaiting autopsy findings to establish the confirmed cause of death.
(Rh/SS)