Italy’s Fabio Basile never imagined that any moment could rival, let alone surpass, the feeling of becoming Olympic champion.
That all changed on November 1, 2025, when Basile and his partner Nica welcomed their son, Aiden Mike, into the world, a moment he describes as life-defining.
“The second he was born was so much better than the second I won an Olympic gold medal,” Basile said in an exclusive interview with the EJU. “Nothing compares to the birth of your child, nothing. And of course, the moment of the Olympic final was incredible, I will never forget it.”
The name Aiden Mike carries deep personal meaning. It honours Basile’s late brother, a decision the couple made in the immediate aftermath of his passing. “I told Nica that if we ever had a boy, he would have my brother’s name,” Basile said. “I said it the day after he died.”
Basile revealed that he and Nica had hoped to start a family for over a year, but the extreme physical toll of competing in the -66kg category made things difficult. “The weight cut was very harsh,” he explained. “When I finished my career at 66 kilos, I started eating normally again, and my testosterone returned to 100 per cent.”
How Basile’s life has changed since becoming a father
Basile is quick to credit his partner, Nica, for the teamwork they have developed as new parents, noting with a smile that she “does 99 per cent of the work.” A former high-level judoka herself, Nica understands the demands of competing at the top of the IJF World Judo Tour and the discipline it requires.
“I’m very lucky because Nica does almost everything,” Basile said. “She knows how difficult it is to stay at the top level, and she supports me completely. At night, sometimes I wake up when he cries, and I’m happy just to be there, to kiss him. I’m totally addicted to [kissing] his head, I love these moments.”
Basile is also one to admit that fatherhood has reshaped his days entirely, both as a person and as an athlete. Time once reserved for afternoon naps, pizza with friends, or unwinding with television after training is now devoted to his son, a change that he happily welcomes.
While Basile still considers his career in judo the best path he could have chosen for himself, he does not shy away from its demands. It is a tough sport and an even tougher lifestyle, he explains, adding with a laugh that he hopes Aiden Mike might one day choose a different path, perhaps becoming a doctor.
Once a warrior, always a warrior: looking ahead to LA28
Basile insists that fatherhood has not altered his competitive drive. Motivation, he says, has never been something he lacks.
He recalls the moment he woke from major cervical spine surgery, a long and complex procedure that left doctors warning his career might be over. Even then, his instinct was to look forward.
“When I woke up after the operation, the first thing I said was that I would be back and that I wanted to go to Los Angeles,” Basile said. “I didn’t even realise what I was saying. My mother told me later, and I thought, how could I say that when the doctor had just told me my career was finished? But when you are born a warrior, you stay a warrior.”
For Basile, that identity remains unchanged. It is not something he believes can be switched off, ever.
He stops short of confirming a definitive push for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, but admits that the desire is there. For now, his focus is simple: to rebuild and return to his best.
“I don’t want to say I will go to Los Angeles,” he said. “I want to be the best in the world again. I want to stay humble and just train hard, in silence.”
The Italian returned to competition at the Tokyo Grand Slam last December, and recently placed fifth in his first competition of the year, the 2026 Upper Austria Grand Prix, losing in the bronze-medal fight to Team USA’s Jack Yonezuka. Basile is grateful to his team and the Italian Army for their support.
The next competition circled on his calendar is the Grand Slam in Kazakhstan (8-10 May), while he also plans to support teammates Giovanni Esposito and Manuel Lombardo, who compete in the same -73kg category, at the European Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, from 16-19 April.
One thing, however, remains certain. As Basile often says, “kings never die.” Now, with a little prince by his side, who knows how far this king will continue to go.
Judoka
Author: Grace Goulding