The team is ready, now we really need to run to arrive on time for the Winter Olympics, starting with budget optimisation. It is the priority indicated by Sari Essayahhead of the IOC Coordination Commission, speaking at an event with representatives of the International Olympic Committee and the Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games of Milan-Cortina 2026 which was held on December 14 in Milan. An event where San Siro and the infrastructures still to be built also emerged among the priorities, with an eye also on the important work of Simico (Milan Cortina infrastructure company) directed by the extraordinary commissioner Luigi Valerio Sant’Andrea. But let’s go in order.
A 3 days in Milan
During the 2-day inspection, the envoys of President Thomas Bach visited the locations in the city starting from the San Siro stadium which will host the inauguration ceremony, to continue with the work on the Olympic village in Santa Giulia and the two facilities of the Palasharp and PalaItalia up to the Fair. Mayor Beppe briefly did the honors of the house Sala, who in introducing the guests recalled that «big events make a lot of sense, but you have to know how to do them. We think we can do it better.”
The identified priorities
«This visit gave us the opportunity – said Sari Essayah – to meet the new managing director Andrea Varnish, with whom we had a very constructive discussion and were able to motivate the whole team; now we move on to a more operational phase. Now the next steps to be taken will be focused on the priorities we have identified, the first of which concerns the optimization of the budget since we are facing a very difficult period, between inflation, high energy costs and the international crisis. All this – Essayah reassured – is a reason for us to challenge, after all our organization is based on the passion for joint work. The new CEO Varnier is ready to give us support from all points of view and collaboration between the various stakeholders is essential. Strong relations with the community are needed – concluded the head of the IOC coordination commission – also for the legacy to be left to Italy”.
Malagò: San Siro is fine but needs to be fixed
«For the Winter Games – reported the president of Coni Giovanni Malagò, it’s fine if San Siro remains, but it is clear that in this case we need to fix several things that are not in line with the needs of an Olympic opening ceremony. It must be assumed that in the candidacy the inaugural ceremony is indicated at San Siro. I don’t know that there is another place that can have 80,000 spectators to host this event, it’s not just a matter of entertainment but also of revenues. It’s not something that concerns us, we are interested spectators but everything is fine with us. I don’t know – commented the president of Coni – if we manage to build a new San Siro in time, we are open and confident in the choices of the administration. Today I am happy because Varnier’s appointment shows that the government is finally on board”.
Varnier, an honor to work at the Games, so much to do
«It is a great privilege – said Andrea Varnier, the new managing director of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Foundation – to be able to work twice for the Olympics organized in one’s own country. a great honor and responsibility. I have to thank all the stakeholders, starting with the government that chose me. I will put all my enthusiasm and passion into this great event. Getting started right away with a visit from the Coordination Commission wasn’t easy, but I’m happy because I’ve found people who have the same spirit as me when it comes to organizing these events. The right tone has been created that we must have with the Olympic world. It was the first face-to-face visit, it’s time to optimize partner search efforts and continue the work already done. We already have a plan and we have to discuss – continued Varnier – also with Simico, a company that works in parallel with the Foundation, but which deals with the construction of the important infrastructures to be built”.