Milano–Cortina 2026: Solidarity as Structure — How the IOC Supports Athletes With Dignity

Inside Olympic Solidarity’s role in preparing athletes for the Games — including those facing war, displacement, and structural barriers.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) HQ, in Lausanne, Switzerland | Photo: AP

The Milano–Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, scheduled for 6–22 February 2026, will unfold across northern Italy in a geographically dispersed, multi-cluster format. Co-hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, the Games will bring together alpine and urban settings — from the Dolomites to historic cities such as Verona — relying largely on existing venues while introducing new disciplines, including ski mountaineering. The Paralympic Games will follow in March 2026.

Behind the ceremonies and competition lies an extensive support system that determines whether athletes are able to train, relocate, secure documentation, and ultimately compete.

As the countdown to Milano–Cortina begins, the Games are being prepared not only as a sporting event, but as a reflection of how international institutions function under strain — at a moment when war, displacement, and geopolitical fragmentation shape the lives of many athletes long before they reach the starting line.

With preparations for Milano–Cortina entering an especially intense phase, I was honored to speak with Olivier Niamkey, Associate Director for Athletes & Sport Development in the Olympic Solidarity Department at the International Olympic Committee, to better understand how athletes are supported in the months and years leading up to the Games — particularly when circumstances make preparation anything but straightforward.

What emerged from the conversation was not a narrative of symbolism, but one of structure — and of dignity.

From Emergency to Continuity

Olympic Solidarity operates through a global system of world and continental programs that support athletes in every National Olympic Committee. But when extraordinary circumstances arise — war, natural disaster, prolonged instability — a separate mechanism is activated according to specific NOC needs and on a case-by-case basis.

Ukraine was one such case.

At the start of the war, the IOC created a dedicated emergency fund, financed both internally and through external contributions, to allow Ukrainian athletes to relocate and continue training immediately for Paris 2024 and Milano–Cortina 2026. The aim was not only to preserve competitive readiness, but to prevent the abrupt rupture of athletes’ careers.

At present, 17 Olympic Solidarity scholarships are active, providing monthly financial assistance on the same terms as those available to athletes from other countries preparing for the Games. The aim, Niamkey explained, is to ensure continuity for athletes — allowing them to train and prepare within a stable framework whenever possible, even when circumstances are extraordinary.

What Solidarity Looks Like in Practice

Support is never imposed. It begins with requests from National Olympic Committees and is adapted case by case. In some situations, financial assistance is decisive. In others, technical expertise, coaching support, or access to facilities matters more. Often, the solution lies in coordination — with neighboring countries, host federations, or immigration authorities — to ensure athletes can train, compete, and travel.

Relocation remains one of the most difficult challenges. Athletes displaced by unexpected circumstances face disruptions that extend far beyond the training field: language, food, climate, cultural isolation, and the loss of routine. Living abroad is costly, and without stable documentation, even the most talented athletes can be barred from competition altogether.

These barriers are rarely visible to the public. Yet they can determine whether an athlete competes and progresses in their career.

Beyond Funding: Access and Fairness

One of the least reported aspects of Olympic Solidarity’s work involves documentation and eligibility.

Athletes may find themselves unable to compete not because of performance, but because of visa restrictions, legal status, or the absence of recognition by host federations. In such cases, the IOC provides support wherever possible through its network to facilitate access — within existing rules and boundaries  — to competitions and qualification pathways.

This monitoring function, Niamkey noted, is as central to solidarity as funding itself. It does not always succeed. But the effort to preserve fairness — to prevent administrative barriers from limiting careers — is constant.

The Olympic Refugee Team illustrates this principle. Created to provide a pathway for athletes who have fled their countries and cannot represent a national committee, the team allows qualified athletes to compete under the Olympic flag. For some, this has later led to naturalization and reintegration into national systems. For others, it remains the only route to the Games.

Sport, Dignity, and the Human Dimension

Asked about the role of sport in a fractured world, Niamkey, speaking personally, described the Olympic Games as an opportunity to bring athletes together peacefully — even in moments of global tension — and to demonstrate that sport can rise above conflict, with peaceful competition as its guiding purpose.

That perspective was echoed by a member of the IOC team present during the conversation, who recalled the moment Ukrainian athletes entered the arena at the Gangwon 2024 Youth Olympic Games. The delegation of around forty athletes was met with sustained applause — a reminder of what the Olympic Games seek to represent. As she noted, athletes from 206 countries and territories ultimately compete under the same roof, making that shared space a powerful expression of peaceful competition.

At the IOC, solidarity is not treated as a slogan. It is understood as continuity — ensuring that athletes, regardless of circumstance, are able to train, compete, and live with dignity.

Looking Ahead to Milano–Cortina

Security will remain the overriding priority for Milano–Cortina 2026, as it is for all Olympic Games. But safety extends beyond physical protection.

The Olympic Village is governed by strict rules of conduct designed to preserve a respectful environment — from shared spaces to public messaging. Athletes agree to these principles as a condition of participation, allowing them to focus on performance. The goal, as Niamkey described it, is to allow athletes to focus on their sport and perform to the best of their ability.

What This Conversation Reveals

What becomes clear through Olympic Solidarity’s work is that dignity is not restored through gestures alone. It is preserved through systems — through attention to the mundane, the bureaucratic, and the unglamorous realities that determine whether an athlete can train, travel, and compete.

Solidarity, in this sense, is not symbolic. It is structure — and it delivers. And as Milano–Cortina 2026 approaches, that structure — largely invisible to spectators — will ensure that athletes, regardless of circumstance, are able to focus on performing to the best of their ability.