News: The Olympic flame was lit at Italy’s presidential palace and began its nationwide relay for the 2026 Winter Games.
About Winter Olympics 2026
- The 2026 Winter Olympics, formally the 25th edition of the Winter Olympic Games and widely referred to as Milano Cortina 2026.
- Hosted by: It is going to be held in northern Italy.
- It will be the fourth Olympic competition hosted by Italy, after the Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo in 1956 and Turin in 2006, and the Summer Games in Rome in 1960.
- Venues: The Games are co-hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, which are well-known winter sports locations.
- Motto: The motto of the Milano Cortina Olympics is “IT’s Your Vibe.” (“IT” referencing the host country)
- Mascot
- The mascot for the 2026 Games is Tina, a white stoat.
- Branding also includes “The Flo,” six characters inspired by the snowdrop plant.
- Sports include: The Games will feature 116 events across 16 winter sports, with around 2,900 athletes from 90 countries expected to participate.
- New Events: A new sport, ski mountaineering (skimo), will make its Olympic debut.
- It involves athletes climbing and descending mountainous terrain using specific skiing techniques.
- Status of Russian and Belarusian Athletes: Qualifying athletes from Russia and Belarus will participate under the designation “Individual Neutral Athletes,” continuing a policy that began at the 2024 Paris Summer Games in response to the Russia-Ukraine War.
- India’s Presence
- Abhinav Bindra, India’s first individual Olympic gold medallist, has been selected as a torchbearer.
- Arif Khan has qualified in Slalom and may be India’s sole athlete.
About Winter Olympics
- The Winter Olympics is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice.
- The first Winter Olympic Games were held in 1924 in Chamonix, France.
- Governing Body: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is the governing body of this Olympic.
