The picture is from a completely different event, so unfortunately the two things are completely unrelated.

Possibly she would have reacted similarly, who knows…

You can just get another passport and choose which country to compete for…

Aaaanyway, I doubt the whole country hates her, in fact despite being a catholic country and generally right wing, Italian population proved in many cases to be more progressive when their own interest was touched. The most interesting examples are the referenda on divorce and abortion.