IOC thanks Milano Cortina 2026 team for delivering “a new kind of Winter Games”
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today paid tribute to the many partners and people behind the success of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, during a thank-you event held at the Olympic Family Hotel in Milan on the day after the magnificent Closing Ceremony in Verona.
Key facts
- IOC President Kirsty Coventry hosted a Milano Cortina 2026 thank-you event, hailing “packed arenas and breathtaking backdrops”
- Olympic Orders were presented to key host and Organising Committee leaders, and Team Italy’s outstanding achievements were also celebrated
- The Games organisers were also recognised, with thanks given to the Milano Cortina 2026 board, administration and volunteers, and a special set of medals presented to Coordination Commission Chair Kristin Kloster.
Addressing the audience made up of the leaders of the host cities and regions, the Organising Committee, representatives of the International Winter Sports Federations, volunteers, the IOC Coordination Commission, IOC Members and the IOC administration, IOC President Kirsty Coventry praised the athletes’ performances and the collective effort that brought the Games to life across multiple regions. “What an incredible two weeks,” she said, applauding the “courage, passion and pure joy” on display, and thanking those who made the event possible.
In her remarks, President Coventry highlighted the distinctive character of Milano Cortina 2026: “Milano Cortina has delivered something truly special – a new kind of Winter Games,” she remarked. “When it was ‘go time’, every venue, every Olympic Village, every valley, every mountain peak – it all came together so beautifully. Packed arenas – they just had electric atmospheres – breathtaking backdrops, and you got to showcase just what Italy can do. Each of the venues told their own story.”
Olympic Orders recognise outstanding service to the Olympic Movement
The Olympic Order, the highest honour granted by the IOC to individuals for outstanding services to the Olympic cause, was awarded to leaders whose roles were instrumental to the delivery and legacy of Milano Cortina 2026.
Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee:
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Giovanni Malagó, President
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Andrea Varnier, Chief Executive Officer
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Andrea Francisi, Chief Games Operations Officer
Host cities/regions:
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Giuseppe Sala, Mayor of MIlan
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Gianluca Lorenzi, Mayor of Cortina
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Attilio Fontana, President of the Lombardy region
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Alberto Stefani, President of the Veneto region
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Luca Zaia, Former President of the Veneto region
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Maurizio Fugatti, President of the autonomous province of Trento
(Arno Kompatscher, President of the autonomous province of Bolzano, was excused and will receive his distinction on another occasion.)
Annual Medal presented to the Italian Olympic Committee
Representing the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), President Luciano Buonfiglio and Secretary General Carlo Mornati received the Annual Medal 2026, in recognition of Team Italy’s achievements, winning 30 medals, its highest number ever at the Olympic Winter Games.
Distinctions for the Milano Cortina 2026 team
The ceremony also celebrated the wider Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee, presenting Olympic pins to members of the Board and the executive team in recognition of their commitment and significant contribution to the Games.
A dedicated moment of the ceremony recognised Games volunteers, with the IOC President praising their energy and passion, and awarding thank-you pins to two representatives of the more than 18,000 volunteers.
Special thanks to the Coordination Commission Chair
Before the close, President Coventry presented a special set of Milano Cortina 2026 medals to Kristin Kloster in recognition of her leadership as Coordination Commission Chair. In her tribute, Kirsty Coventry thanked Kloster for her constant presence and commitment, emphasising her ability to listen, bring people together, and turn complexity into trust.