IOC to thoroughly evaluate dispersed model at Milan-Cortina 2026

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will conduct a thorough evaluation of the "dispersed" model used for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, IOC President Kirsty Coventry said here on Wednesday.

Coventry told a press conference that these Games would be the first "more spread-out" Olympics, noting that the Organizing Committee has already taken a series of measures to systematically collect relevant data, from which a great deal of knowledge and experience will be learned.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry reacts during a press conference of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) 145th Session in Milan, Italy, Feb. 4, 2026. (Xinhua/Na Yuqi)

She said the decision to adopt the dispersed model was taken for sustainability reasons, with climate change being one of the most important factors, along with the aim of avoiding the construction of unnecessary new venues.

"We are seeing there is an impact on NOCs (National Olympic Committees) because of the spread. It has shifted different responsibilities onto different stakeholders, which has made it a little harder for them," Coventry noted.

She cited media operations as an example, saying that related costs have increased and traveling between different locations is not easy.

The former Olympic champion added that she was experiencing it herself, and while it was possible to commute, "it will be a long two weeks because of the travel time, but we are all going to get to see iconic venues in beautiful places."

She also said the IOC is discussing the priorities to consider under the dispersed model and has started to set up ways of measuring during the Games so that these discussions can continue going forward.

"It is about how we find the balance between a spread-out Games for sustainable reasons without shifting complexity levels," Coventry said.

Coventry noted that the number of athletes at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics would exceed 11,000, posing increasing challenges for organizers. Relevant teams have clearly indicated to the IOC that such a scale would not be possible for the Brisbane 2032 Games.

She said that now they are at a key crossroads and that it is time to analyze these issues systematically, as once events and scale are added, the complexity and cost of staging the Games also increase.

"I don't have all the answers. If you guys do, please share them with us. But it's something we are going to learn a lot from," she added.