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≡ IOC EXECUTIVE BOARD ≡
“Things are running really well. Lots of excitement, athletes are starting to arrive … things are looking really positive and we’re seeing lots of good things happening around the city and throughout the regions.”
That’s the first report from International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) in Milan, at a Sunday news conference from the Olympic media center, following the IOC Executive Board meetings.
Unusually, there were no announcements of decisions, and Coventry said the focus has been on the Winter Games that start on Friday:
“The preparation is going extremely well. The team is working really hard. What’s really nice is the Milano Cortina organizing committee and ourselves as the IOC and the International Federations and all stakeholders are working very well. …
“We’re exactly where we need to be.”
She was asked about the wide spread of the venues into the mountains and Coventry thanked the organizing committee for being well prepared, and added that the events “are going to be in world-class venues in the most iconic, in the most beautiful places in Italy and I think the athletes are going to have an absolutely fantastic time.”
Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi (SUI) was even more enthusiastic:
“With a week go, the venues look fantastic. We’ve been up there in the mountains, we’ve visited all venues in Milano. You’ll see, it’s really spectacular.”
As for the Santa Giulia arena for ice hockey, racing to be ready, Dubi explained, “No one’s experience will be tainted by anything that needs to be painted or carpeted after the Games. Let’s be very clear. Anything that is public-facing, media or starting with the athletes, absolute top.
“Do we still have works? Yes. Cleaning, absolutely … still works ongoing, frantic as you say, but to make it really a great venue.”
As for the geographic spread, he noted, “If you’re an alpine skier – men or women, respectively – do you choose any other venue other than Bormio or Cortina? Yes, it’s far away, but are these the most iconic locations? Without doubt.”
He also pointed to the opening ceremonies concept, with elements in all four athlete locations:
“Is it easy to do? Certainly not. Main, actually, in San Siro [Milan], but in Cortina, in Predazzo, in Livigno, all of them can walk. All of them can participate in the ceremony.”
The IOC’s head of National Olympic Committee relations, James Macleod (GBR) added:
“The feedback from the National Olympic Committees and the athletes [who] have started to move into the Villages has been nothing short of extraordinary, really the services that Milan Cortina organizing committee have provided is really outstanding. And the athletes have started their training and everything is going very well. We’re on track to have probably 92 NOCs participating.”
Dubi also updated the ticketing situation, with more than 1.1 million tickets sold so far with a week to go, a bit more than three-quarters of those available. “This is pretty impressive for Winter Games … for anyone out there looking for tickets, there are still a few, but not so much, so rush. That’s the same for the opening ceremonies, it will be a full house, that’s for sure.”
He felt that the organizers will hit their ticketing budget target.
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There were other questions, starting with LA28 Chair Casey Wasserman and 23-year-old e-mails with convicted child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell (GBR) and the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement staff on the U.S. security detail; Coventry brushed both of these away and said she has not talked with Wasserman about this, but that the IOC is also monitoring the situation as regards any other information from the U.S. Justice Department files that might concern the IOC.
On any movement toward Russian re-integration or reinstatement of the Russian Olympic Committee, Coventry said there is no timetable for this.
On why women’s Nordic Combined was not added, IOC Sports Director Pierre Ducrey (SUI) noted that the future of the whole discipline is under study and the experience in 2026 will inform what the IOC will do with Nordic Combined for 2030.
Coventry was asked about the work of the “Fit for the Future” working groups and when reports would be received; she indicated she expected most of the work to be done by June.
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