Exclusive: Milano Cortina 2026 CEO Varnier hails sustainability of spread-out Winter Olympics

Organizing Committee CEO Andrea Varnier hailed the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics as a "successful experiment" during an exclusive interview with CGTN Sports Scene anchor Greg Laffradi, arguing that the event's geographically-dispersed model is the new blueprint for sustainable hosting.

Addressing the logistical challenges of the most spread-out Games in history, Varnier explained that the decision to scatter competitions across the northern region of Italy was a deliberate move to prioritize existing infrastructure over new construction.

Varnier noted that the goal was "to adapt the Games to what you have in your country and to make the Games more sustainable, rather than the other way around." By avoiding a central construction hub, the organizers were able to "showcase some of the best sport using in the mountains that were known all over the world."

While connecting venues from Milan to Cortina presented a massive coordination task, Varnier believes the early results fully support the concept. "I think the first few days show that is doable," he stated, referring to both the logistics and the televised opening ceremony that linked athletes across multiple locations.

A major concern for the organizers was whether a "widespread" Games could maintain a cohesive Olympic atmosphere. Varnier remains confident that the spirit of the event remains intact, despite the distances.

"The other thing that was not clear is, can you create the Olympic atmosphere in such widespreads? And I think the first day showed that also that is possible," Varnier said. He pointed to the "fantastic" broadcast images as proof that the Games can feel unified, even when venues like Livigno and Tesero are "very far from one another."

Varnier views the 2026 model as a "special message" to the sporting world that the Olympics can – and should – evolve.

"It is a special message with our Games to say, okay, you can do Games widespread," Varnier concluded. "In this sense, I think it was a successful experiment."