"The Beijing Winter Olympics were a real success." Antonio Rossi, director of the sports department of the Lombardy region of Italy, said in an exclusive interview with People's Daily News.
Antonio Rossi is the head of preparations for the 2026 Milano Cortina d'Ampezzo (Cortina) Winter Olympics in Lombardy (Milan) and a well-known Italian kayaker. Rossi has participated in the Olympic Games five times during his career as an athlete, winning 3 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medal, and also served as the standard-bearer of the Italian delegation at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
The Italian delegation won a total of 17 medals at the Beijing Winter Olympics, the second-best result in the history of Italy's participation in the Winter Olympics. "This bodes well for 2026." Rossi commented, "In the severe epidemic, we are finally 'united' again and enjoy sports in an atmosphere of friendship. ”
The host city of the next Winter Olympics, Milan, Italy and Cortina d'Ampezzo's theatrical performance of "Twin Cities Convergence and Convergence". Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Cao Can
"Beijing can be proud of this"
With the successful hosting of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Beijing became the first "double Olympic city" in the history of the Olympic Games.
Looking back on his experience in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Rossi frankly said: "The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games are very important because it has brought China and the West closer together. It was because of the Olympic Games that Europe abandoned the prejudices that arose from not knowing China, began to rediscover the beauty of Beijing and China, and learned about China's culture, history and traditions that are far from Europe. The 2022 Winter Olympics will be a celebration of mutual understanding and respect, bringing people back together against the divisions and fears brought about by the pandemic. It's a sign of peace, and Beijing can be proud of it. ”
Talking about the organization of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Rossi expressed his appreciation for the "strict but not excessive" epidemic prevention and control measures taken by the Beijing Winter Olympics. "These measures both ensure that athletes can enjoy the game safely and allow the audience to enjoy the game to the fullest," he said. ”
Rossi was impressed by the new technology in the Beijing Winter Olympics and believes that the case of zero carbon dioxide emissions at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics deserves to be used as a model. Rossi said, "We are very interested in new technologies, drones and green transport, and we are ready to apply the most advanced technologies available to us in the 2026 Winter Olympics." ”
Rossi pointed out, "In terms of event organization, athlete management, transportation, accommodation, green innovation in facility operation, etc., the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics provide many highlights worth learning from for the successful hosting of the Olympic Games." He said that Italy will learn from these highlights and combine its rich olympic experience to host the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
The host city of the next Winter Olympics, Milan, Italy, and Cortina d'Ampezzo performed the "Twin Cities Together, Together" session. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li He
"Bringing the world together in the Italian way"
The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics is Italy's fourth Olympic event after the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina and the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.
According to Rossi, although the next Winter Olympics will be named after the cities of Milan and Cortina, the first Olympic venues will be spread across several regions of the host country, including Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige in northern Italy.
The opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics will take place at the San Siro Stadium in the fashion capital of Milan, and the closing ceremony will take place at the Verona Amphitheatre. In addition to the opening ceremony, Milan will host figure skating, ice hockey and short track speed skating competitions, and the main media centre and the Lombardy main podium will also be located in Milan.
Bormio, also based in Lombardy, hosts alpine skiing events; Livigno hosts snowboarding and freestyle skiing competitions.
Trentino-Alto Adige Basel Gadipine will host a speed skating competition; ski jumping and cross-country skiing will take place in Predazzo Tesero; and biathlon will be held in Anteselva.
Cortina in the Veneto region is the venue for women's alpine skiing, bobsleigh, bobsleigh, steel frame bobsleigh and curling.
In addition, the three Winter Olympic villages are located in Milan, Livigno and Cortina.
Scenery of Cortina dʼAmpezzo taken on February 18. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Yongqiu
In line with the Beijing Winter Olympics, the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics also attach great importance to "sustainability". According to Rossi, lombardy is currently promoting the development of the "Hydrogen Valley" to realize the use of hydrogen energy transport in the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. In addition, Italy will renovate the existing venues from the perspective of environmental protection and economic society to become regional and national sports centers. There is only one new project in the next Winter Olympics, the Italian Pavilion in Milan's Santa Giulia, a public-private building that will become the sports and cultural center of the future.
Rossi believes that the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics is not only the next winter sports event, but also a great opportunity for the world to appreciate the charm of Italy's mountains. "In addition to sports, we hope that the Winter Olympics can become an engine to drive regional economic development, rekindle the world's enthusiasm for Italian tourism after the epidemic, and let the world know about Italian culture, cuisine and handicrafts through sports." All in all, the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics will bring the world together in the Italian way. ”
"The friendship between the two countries will last a long time"
At the closing ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Italy, as the host country of the XXV Winter Olympics, took over the Olympic flag and completed the "handover".
On the evening of February 20, at the closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, the mayor of Milan, Italy, sarah, the host city of the next Winter Olympic Games, and The mayor of Cortina d'Ampezzo, Gedina, waved the five-ring flag at the Olympic flag handover ceremony. Photo by Ju Huanzong, Xinhua News Agency
In fact, Italy was present in the preparations for the Beijing Winter Olympics. Rossi introduced: "The Beijing Winter Olympics is undoubtedly a very successful one in terms of logistics and technology, and we can also feel the presence of Italy in this success, and some Italian snowmaking companies actively provide technical support for the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee, which are the leaders of the industry." ”
2022 is not only the year of the Beijing Winter Olympics, but also the year of Sino-Italian culture and tourism. "Sports and culture will further build a friendly relationship of mutual trust and mutual respect between our two countries and peoples," Rossi believes. ”
Rossi said: "Since the time of Marco Polo, China and Italy have begun to understand, respect and appreciate each other. The traditional friendship between our two countries will continue for a long time. ”