Milan-Cortina: Malagò, maximum participation in Paralympic competitions would be the first medal

Rome, 11 December (LaPresse) – “It’s a challenge for many reasons. Those who came before us did very well. We’re starting with the benchmark of London 2012, which established a concept, that of spectator attendance. There is a cultural aspect. The IOC wanted to emphasise this combination in the organisation. We are aware of the complexity for obvious organisational reasons; there are places that have complications in terms of accessibility, but we have tried to do our best.” These were the words of Giovanni Malagò, president of the Milano-Cortina Foundation, at the event “Italia in Gioco – Cip and Rai team up for Milano Cortina 2026”, which offers a preview of the projects, content and editorial strategies for the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games. “The Winter Olympics have a different history from the Summer Olympics. The first edition was held in 1976 and was outside the Olympic world. Today, you have the Arena di Verona for the opening ceremony, a choice made because we wanted to give continuity between the Olympic world, where the closing ceremony will be held, and the Paralympic world. And we close with Cortina, another quiet victory. What better legacy than the modernised and updated ice stadium. These are important signals in terms of communication. Let’s push, each with our own abilities, for Italians to come and watch the Paralympic competitions. The cost of tickets is in line with that of major international events, in fact it is lower. It would be a fantastic sign to show that there has been that involvement, it would be the first victory,” he concluded.