Powered by Olympic Solidarity: 244 athletes participate in Milano Cortina 2026 with IOC support
Some 244 athletes earned their place on the start line of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games thanks to crucial support from Olympic Solidarity, underscoring the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s commitment to helping athletes from all corners of the world pursue their Olympic dreams.
Key facts
- 244 athletes from 74 NOCs supported by Olympic Solidarity are participating in Milano Cortina 2026, representing 54 per cent of all scholarship-holders.
- 449 athletes from 90 NOCs received Olympic Solidarity scholarships during the Milano Cortina 2026 qualification period, which helped to cover essential training, equipment and competition costs.
- Olympic Solidarity aims to level the playing field by redistributing IOC revenues to support athletes and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) most in need.
In total, 244 athletes from 74 NOCs are participating in the Games after receiving individual athlete scholarships that supported their preparation throughout the qualification period. Representing 54 per cent of all scholarship-holders, and spanning five continents and six sports, these athletes are a clear reflection of the reach and impact of the IOC’s athlete-focused support.
Support that removes barriers and unlocks performance
In the build‑up to Milano Cortina 2026, the programme supported 449 scholarship-holders from 90 NOCs.
Among them is Brazilian skeleton athlete Nicole Silveira, who has won three podium finishes across the last two IBSF Skeleton World Cup seasons. “For me, as an athlete from a tropical country in a winter sport, the Olympic Solidarity scholarship has had a massive impact on my ability to prepare properly for the Games,” she says.
“It allows me to train in Europe and North America with the best equipment, coaches and support team, and it gives me peace of mind knowing I can focus on improving my performance without having to work extra hours as a nurse to fund my season. Thanks to this support, I’ve been able to reach new levels in my sport and keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.”
Adding to this perspective, Sára Pónya (Hungary, cross‑country skiing) highlights how her scholarship filled critical gaps during the qualification period, “This scholarship is what makes it possible for me to live like a professional athlete in the two crucial years leading up to the Olympic Games. It has enabled me to train more effectively, travel for altitude camps, access recovery therapies and use professional equipment — all of which have significantly improved my performance.”
Levelling the playing field for athletes worldwide
The aim of Olympic Solidarity is to provide assistance to all NOCs, with a particular focus on athletes and NOCs most in need, by redistributing IOC revenues and reinvesting them in athlete development programmes worldwide.
By providing essential funding and technical support, Olympic Solidarity helps ensure that talented athletes from all backgrounds have an equal opportunity to prepare for, reach and succeed at the Olympic Games. The programme enables athletes to focus fully on their preparation while contributing to the long-term development of sport at national and global level.
Support for athletes on the road to Milano Cortina 2026 began in autumn 2023, with Olympic Solidarity providing individual scholarships to athletes identified by their NOCs as having strong Olympic potential. Through these scholarships, athletes receive monthly financial support to contribute to their training, whether in their home country or at high-performance training centres around the world. They may also cover coaching, equipment, accommodation and competition participation, depending on individual needs.
Nigerian cross‑country skier Samuel Ikpefan underscores how this support opens doors, “Without this support, it would be very difficult to train and prepare in conditions comparable to the best athletes, especially in Europe. This scholarship has truly allowed me to reach key milestones on the road to the Games — and shows that even coming from a country with fewer resources, it is possible to reach this level with hard work and the support of programmes like Olympic Solidarity.”
A track record of impact at the Olympic Winter Games
The participation of 244 Olympic Solidarity-supported athletes for Milano Cortina 2026 builds on the established impact of the programme at previous editions of the Games.
At the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, 236 athletes from 67 NOCs qualified with the support of Olympic Solidarity, delivering strong performances on sport’s biggest stage and winning a total of 10 medals (three gold, two silver and five bronze).
Among the standout achievements was that by snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, who became the first-ever New Zealander to win a gold medal at the Winter Games when she triumphed in the women’s slopestyle.
Olympic Solidarity also supported the historic performances of Alpine skier Richardson Viano, the first Haitian athlete to compete at the Winter Games, and Aruwin Salehhuddin, the first woman to represent Malaysia at the Winter Games.
Growing investment in athletes across the globe
In addition to individual athlete scholarships, seven NOCs with larger delegations also benefited from tailored support provided through Olympic Solidarity, giving them greater flexibility in allocating resources for their athletes’ preparation throughout the qualification period. In total, 97 NOCs benefitted from Olympic Solidarity support on the road to Milano Cortina 2026.
Complementing this individual-focused assistance, Olympic Solidarity also provides Team Support Grants, enabling NOCs to select national teams for targeted technical and financial support as they prepare for Olympic qualification. For Milano Cortina 2026, curling and ice hockey teams from 10 NOCs benefitted from this support, with eight teams ultimately qualifying for the Games.
Looking ahead, Olympic Solidarity continues to strengthen its commitment to athletes and NOCs worldwide. For the 2025-2028 period, the IOC approved a record Olympic Solidarity budget of USD 650 million, representing a 10 per cent increase compared to the previous cycle, and a 16 per cent rise in direct athlete support programmes.
Financed through the redistribution of IOC revenues, this increased investment reinforces the IOC’s mission to ensure that athletes - particularly those from NOCs most in need - have the resources and opportunities required to reach the Olympic stage, regardless of their background or circumstances.