Beijing 2022 to serve as a model for Milano-Cortina 2026: Secretary General of Italian National Olympic Committee

Carlo Mornati, the Secretary General of the Italian National Olympic Committee, said in an online interview he had with People’s Daily Online that he was confident of a successful Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, and that China’s experience in organizing the Games will offer much to learn in preparation for the Milano-Cortina Olympics in 2026.

Photo shows Carlo Mornati, Secretary General of the Italian National Olympic Committee and head of the Italian delegation to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games. (Photo courtesy of the Italian National Olympic Committee)

Moreover, as the head of the Italian delegation to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, Beijing 2022 will be the fifth time for Mornati to serve as the head of the Italian delegation to an Olympic Games. He told People’s Daily Online that he intends to bring a delegation of between 120 and 130 athletes to China, compared with 118 at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics. Mornati said that his country will try its best to capture a medal tally higher than the 10 that was eyed during the Pyeongchang Olympics and hopes to qualify as many athletes as possible.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was not possible for the Italian National Olympic Committee to come to China and visit the competition venues for themselves. But Mornati said he is optimistic and confident that the efficiency and smoothness of the Winter Olympics will be proven by the Chinese hosts this time around at Beijing 2022.

Photo shows Sofia Goggia, a gold medalist for women’s Olympic downhill during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics. (Photo courtesy of the Italian National Olympic Committee)

He also disclosed that some Italian athletes engaged in winter sports were unable to go to South America during the summer off season for training given that countries in the region had imposed restrictions to prevent and control COVID-19. Nevertheless, the Italian delegation still managed to do its best to prepare for Beijing 2022.

Mornati disclosed that Sofia Goggia, a gold medalist for women’s Olympic downhill during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics, will be the team’s standard-bearer at the opening ceremony of Beijing 2022, while Michela Moioli, a gold medalist for women’s snowboard cross, who also participated in the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics, will be the standard-bearer at the closing ceremony of Beijing 2022.

China is abiding by principles of “green, inclusive, open and clean” in hosting the Games. In view of this, Mornati said he believes that this initiative follows the guidelines of the 2020 Agenda of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The Olympic Games are moving towards a new dimension that is entirely different from previous hosted Games – namely, a dimension of sustainability, not only on economic but also ecological terms as well, Mornati expressed.

Photo shows Michela Moioli, a gold medalist for women’s snowboard cross during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics. (Photo courtesy of the Italian National Olympic Committee)

Talking about Beijing 2022’s vision for engaging 300 million people in winter sports across China, Mornati said that from a strategic, economic and commercial point of view, this is a rational choice because it provides the host country with new economic opportunities, including the winter sports economy in this case.

Mornati also expressed that the Beijing Organizing Committee will act as a model for the Milano-Cortina Olympics in 2026. There will definitely be a transfer of knowledge, with participation by the Milano-Cortina 2026 organizers and by the IOC, ensuring that all the best practices carried out by the Chinese side in the planning and completion of the Games over the past eight years will be transferred to the Milano-Cortina organizing committee, he pointed out.