Olympic Skater's Costume Nightmare: FedEx Loses Custom Outfits Days Before Milan-Cortina Games
In a dramatic pre-Olympic saga that captured international attention, U.S. ice dancer Christina Carreira faced the terrifying prospect of competing at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games without her custom-made competition costumes after shipping giant FedEx mysteriously lost the crucial package. The 25-year-old Canadian-born athlete, who represents the United States with partner Anthony Ponomarenko, found herself embroiled in a logistical nightmare just days before one of the most important competitions of her career.
Social Media Desperation Leads to Public Outcry
The crisis spilled onto social media platforms when Carreira's costume designer, Lisa McKinnon, took to Instagram with a desperate public plea directed at FedEx. "It's like pulling teeth to get answers from calling FedEx!!!" McKinnon wrote in her January 29 post, tagging the company's official account. "We're heartbroken and so incredibly disappointed with you! We really really need you to come through for us right now!!"
McKinnon revealed that the Olympic costumes had been shipped on January 24 with an expected delivery date of January 26 to Italy, but had become "stuck" at FedEx's Memphis facility since Sunday. While brutal winter weather had hammered the eastern United States from January 24 to 26, with Tennessee taking a particularly hard hit, McKinnon emphasized that weather wasn't the primary concern.
"It is not however the weather delay that's the main issue for us in this situation," she clarified. "It's the fact that they don't know where the package is."
Days of Uncertainty and Frustration
As the situation dragged on through the week, frustration mounted. "It's now Thursday and the skaters are literally on their way to the Olympics in Milan without the costume!!!" McKinnon continued in her social media appeal. "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."
The designer's desperation reached such levels that she turned to her followers for assistance, asking if anyone had "any direct connections" to the FedEx hub in Memphis who could physically locate the missing package. Carreira herself joined the public outcry, pleading directly to the shipping company: "Please help!! @fedex."
The athlete later shared her own mounting frustration, explaining: "We've been calling since Monday ... my package has been stuck in Memphis since Monday... there's been no movement, and no one seems to be able to help."
Community Rally Leads to Happy Resolution
After days of uncertainty and mounting anxiety, the skating community's collective effort finally produced results. Carreira posted an emotional update announcing "they found it," accompanied by expressions of relief and gratitude. McKinnon later explained that through a remarkable chain of connections within the skating world—"a friend of a friend" tied to U.S. Figure Skating—someone at the Memphis hub managed to locate the precious costumes.
"It was found late last night and is en route for delivery today!" McKinnon wrote in her follow-up post. "Thank you!!!"
The resolution came just in time for Carreira and Ponomarenko's Olympic competition, sparing them what could have been a devastating setback. The incident highlights the immense pressure and logistical challenges facing Olympic athletes in the final days before competition, where every detail—from training schedules to competition attire—must align perfectly for peak performance.
While FedEx eventually responded publicly during the crisis, commenting "We want to help out and are looking into this!" the episode serves as a cautionary tale about the vulnerabilities in international shipping systems, even for packages of such critical importance. The company's handling of high-profile Olympic shipments will likely face increased scrutiny as athletes and teams prepare for future international competitions.
