6 February 2025 – IOC President Thomas Bach was in Italy this week for meetings in Rome and Milan, where he joined the ceremony to mark one year to go until the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
Arriving in Rome on the first leg of the visit, he addressed the World Leaders’ Summit on Children’s Rights, presided over by His Holiness Pope Francis in the Vatican. President Bach urged attendees to work together to ensure that children can enjoy their right to safe sport. “Today, we are reminded of our collective responsibility: to build a better world for our children, we have to act faster, aim higher, be stronger – and we have to join hands,” he said during the “The Child’s Right to Free Time and Leisure” panel discussion. “This is why I invite everyone present here today, whatever your mission in life: join hands with us to ensure that every child can enjoy their right to safe sport. In this spirit, let us live our Olympic motto: Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together.” Read the full news release here.
President Bach was welcomed in Rome by Giovanni Malagò, IOC member and President of the National Olympic Committee of Italy (CONI) and of the Organising Committee for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Also present throughout the visit was IOC Executive Board member and President of the Olympic Winter Sports Federations Ivo Ferriani.
After the Summit in the Vatican, President Bach met the Italian President, Sergio Mattarella. They discussed the power of sport in society and the upcoming Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. President Bach thanked him for the support of Italy throughout his term as President, and for the excellent relationship with him, always sharing the Olympic values.
Later, at the Giulio Onesti Italian Olympic Centre, President Bach met students from the Liceo Sportivo, a special high school for young athletes run in cooperation with CONI. More than 100 pupils from across Italy, aged 13 to 18, receive their education there and have access to elite sports facilities and training.
President Bach also met representatives from across the Italian Olympic Movement at the CONI headquarters in Rome. Accompanied by Giovanni Malagò, he met members of the CONI Executive Board, presidents of Italian sports federations, and many of the people working hard to make Italian Olympic sport the success it is. Also present were IOC member Federica Pelligrini and IOC honorary members Mario Pescante and Franco Carraro. During the meeting, President Bach presented the IOC President’s Award to Italian sport.
Together with the Italian Minister for Education, Giuseppe Valditara, President Bach launched the Olympic Values Education Programme in schools across the country. He also had the opportunity to meet and talk with some of the students who will take part.
Later, President Bach met Giancarlo Georgetti, the Minister of Economy and Finance. After the meeting, President Bach said, “The Minister has always been a key person in the organisation of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, from the very beginning, already for getting the Games for Italy. He is a great promoter of sport and the Olympic values.”
Before leaving Rome, President Bach had another very productive meeting with the Italian Prime Minister, Georgia Meloni. After their meeting at the Palazzo Chigi, the IOC President said, “Together, the Italian government, the regional authorities, the Organising Committee and the IOC will ensure that the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will be a brilliant display of Italian culture, Italian passion for sport and the Olympic values.”
Another very productive meeting with the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni. Together the Italian government, the regional authorities, the Organising Committee and the IOC, will ensure that the Olympic Winter Games #MilanoCortina2026 will be a brilliant display of Italian… pic.twitter.com/LeIZsKgDNS
— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) February 5, 2025
Next, he travelled to Milan to mark one year until the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
The first stop was the unveiling of the OMEGA Countdown Clock.
Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner OMEGA is celebrating the occasion with a stunning new Countdown Clock situated next to Milan’s iconic cathedral in the Piazza del Duomo. The Clock serves as a striking reminder of the excitement and anticipation building ahead of the Games.
The following day, the IOC sent official invitations to the National Olympic Committees and their top winter sports athletes to take part in the XXV Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, set to take place from 6 to 22 February 2026.
During the ceremony held in Milan’s Teatro Strehler, the IOC President symbolically presented invitations to the presidents and representatives of the NOCs of Greece, as the birthplace of the Olympic Games, and the host countries of recent and upcoming Olympic Games.
In his address, President Bach said: “The athletes are at the heart of the Olympic Movement. What better way to honour our ancient heritage and to manifest our faith in the future than through the presence of Olympians representing the National Olympic Committees of our Greek roots and the hosts of the immediate past and future Olympic Games and Olympic Winter Games? They symbolise the continuity of the Olympic Games — rooted in history and always advancing towards a brighter future. Milano, Cortina and all our Italian friends are ready to welcome the best winter sports athletes of the planet with open arms, with the renowned Italian hospitality and with their love for sport.”
Awaiting athletes in Italy will be world-class competition conditions that will enable them to strive for Olympic titles and inspire the next generation of winter sports stars. Around 2,900 athletes from over 90 NOCs are expected to take part in the Games. The event will feature 13 competition venues, 8 sports, with ski mountaineering making its Olympic Winter Games debut, 16 Olympic disciplines and 116 events (including 8 new ones) in total.
