Milan-Cortina Olympics, IOC visit closed: “Here’s what you have to work on”

Milan-Cortina, full speed ahead. The three days dedicated to the visit of the IOC Coordination Commission for the 2026 Winter Games ended today, the first meeting in person after the pandemic. “I think it is a great privilege for me – declared the new CEO of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Foundation, Andrea Varnier -, it is a great honor and I have a great sense of responsibility. I will put all my enthusiasm into this great event. In these three days I have met many people who have the same spirit for the organization of the Olympics. I often hear from Minister Abodi, every day there is advice. He is giving me a lot of confidence, the relationship is very good. Protection is important of the Government behind us. We must think of an important event for the whole country, the goal is to involve entrepreneurs and companies to accompany us on this journey”.

San Siro and beyond

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Also present at the meeting were the president of Coni Giovanni Malagò and the head of the Coordination Commission of the Cio Sari Essayah. “Today everything is very clear, finally there is a government on board the Milan-Cortina governance – said Malagò -. Let’s say that we ate the dowry: we had chosen to make a dossier with the Olympics of the territories, 90% of the plants had already been built, now belly down and work”. The number one of Italian sport then focused on the San Siro issue, a facility indicated in the candidacy dossier: “Everything is fine with us, if this San Siro remains, it is clear that it needs to be set up for an Olympic opening ceremony. We are interested spectators , it’s not up to us to establish whether there will be time to build a new stadium”. During the meetings Malagò confirmed the visit to the facilities involved, including the controversial Palasharp, but above all the analysis of the problems relating to the places and the accessibility factor as regards the Paralympics. But the difficulties will “mostly be resolved shortly,” he assured.

Directions

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What are the difficulties, the IOC Coordination Commission has tried to indicate: growth of the program of national partners, optimization of the budget, advancement of the preparations of the venues and strengthening of the Organizing Committee team are the main points on which the Organizing Committee will have to work .

Flash mob

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The three days of the IOC were also an opportunity to bring together the Olympic and Paralympic flags of Paris 2024 and Milan Cortina 2026, in front of Palazzo Reale in Milan. The Organizing Committee of the next Winter Games has organized an activation that saw over 100 players representing the disciplines of the Summer and Winter Games as protagonists: a moment of aggregation designed to give a small preview of the 2026 Games to the Milanese community.