OLYMPICS: 'Bumpy' preparations will lead to unforgettable Milano Games-IOC chief

MILAN – Preparations for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics had their challenges, but the Games promise to be unforgettable for athletes and spectators, International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry said Monday.

Speaking at the opening of the IOC session at La Scala opera house in central Milan, just four days before the Olympics begin, Coventry, who became IOC president in June 2025, said the Games were ready to kick off.

“It has been a long journey – sometimes a bit bumpy, like every Olympic journey – but it is truly wonderful to be here in Italy,” Coventry said, with Italian President Sergio Mattarella in attendance.

Organizers raced against the clock to complete several venues on tight deadlines, including the Cortina d’Ampezzo sliding center, built from scratch, and the Santagiulia ice hockey venue in Milan.

A cable car meant to carry spectators to the women’s Olympic Alpine skiing events in Cortina will not be ready in time, officials confirmed days ago.

Despite these hiccups, Coventry said Milan and Italy are fully prepared to deliver a memorable Games. This marks the return of the Winter Olympics to the European Alps for the first time in 20 years, since the 2006 Torino Olympics.

“On behalf of the athletes and the entire Olympic community, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to Italy. You are all essential to making these Games unforgettable,” Coventry added.

The Olympics will open with a ceremony at the San Siro football stadium on February 6, running through February 23.

For President Mattarella, the Games are also an opportunity to highlight global unity in turbulent times.

“It is a major global event that resonates deeply in a world facing profound difficulties,” Mattarella said. “Sport stands in opposition to a world dominated by barriers and lack of dialogue. We call for the Olympic truce to be respected everywhere.”

-Reporting by Karolos Grohmann/Reuters