VIDEO SHOWS: PRESS CONFERENCE WITH IOC PRESIDENT KIRSTY COVENTRY AND OLYMPIC GAMES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHE DUBI SHOWS: MILAN, ITALY (FEBRUARY 1, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all) 1. INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE PRESIDENT KIRSTY COVENTRY ENTERS PRESS CONFERENCE 2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC PRESIDENT KIRSTY COVENTRY SPEAKING ABOUT LOS ANGELES 2028 OLYMPICS CHIEF CASEY WASSERMAN AND ICE AGENTS, SAYING: "You know, I think anything that is distracting from these Games is sad, right? But there...we've learned over the many years and I look at these gentlemen next to me, there has always been something that has taken the lead leading up to the Games, whether it has been communities, whether it's been Zika, Covid, there has always been something. But what is keeping my faith alive is that when that opening ceremony happens and those athletes start competing, suddenly the world remembers the magic and the spirit that the Games have and they get to suddenly remember what's actually important and they get to be inspired. And so we're really looking forward to that." 3. PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS 4. JOURNALISTS 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC PRESIDENT KIRSTY COVENTRY SAYING ON WHETHER SHE HAD SPOKEN TO CASEY WASSERMAN: "I've not been in contact with Casey (Wasserman). The focus has fully been on Milano-Cortina. There's been a number of things that we have been focusing on here. In terms of IOC members, we're obviously watching and monitoring the media. And if I were aware of a few things that have been reported just today and we need some time to look into it, I literally was given it as we walked in." 6. VARIOUS PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC PRESIDENT KIRSTY COVENTRY SAYING ON RUSSIAN PARTICIPATION AT FUTURE GAMES: "There's no timeline. And as for Milano-Cortina, we made it very clear in I forget which Executive Board that we were running the exact same processes as we did for Paris right here for Milano-Cortina." 8. PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) OLYMPIC GAMES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHE DUBI SAYING: "It's a really good performance. And for anyone out there looking for tickets, there are still a few, but not so much so rush. And that's the same for the opening ceremony. It's going to be a full house, that's for sure. It's going to be a full house, which for a stadium that size, San Siro, is a massive venue. So on both accounts, one full venues, something in Beijing unfortunately, we didn't have, of course, COVID protocols. This time - Full. Is it same as Paris? Yes, probably, which is fantastic. And that means as well, and that's a consequence that from a budget standpoint, they will meet their targets. So and on both accounts, really good news." 10. PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS 11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) OLYMPIC GAMES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHE DUBI SAYING: "And one thing we've been clear about for a number of days now is that you have a number of areas where you'll be very impressed. You walk into the venue, the seating bowl is dramatic. It's black, ice is ice, and it's going to be dramatic. Right. Now, do we have every single space in that venue finished? No. And is it absolutely needed for the Games? No. So no one's experience will be tainted by anything that needs to be painted or carpeted after the Games. Let's be very clear. Anything that is public facing anything that is you media or starting with the athletes absolutely top. Do we still have works? Yes. Cleaning. Absolutely. A lot of cleaners, both inside the seating bowl and the venues outside as well to make it really beautiful. So still works ongoing, frantic, as you say, but it's to make it really, really a great venue. And hats off because it started very late. So what they have pulled out in in so many months, very few, is absolutely outstanding." 12. PRESS CONFERENCE ENDS STORY: Controversies that have hit the build up to the Winter Olympics are "sad" but will soon be forgotten once the Games start, International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry told a press conference on Sunday (February 1). Earlier on Sunday Los Angeles 2028 Olympics chief Casey Wasserman apologized for communicating with convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell more than 20 years ago, after the publication of a series of personal emails between the two. New files related to late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Maxwell's former boyfriend, published by the U.S. justice department on Friday (January 30), included flirtatious email exchanges between Wasserman, who was married at the time, and Maxwell dating from 2003. Coventry, whose organisation works very closely with Wasserman for the preparation of the LA 2028, refused to directly comment on the matter. When asked whether the Wasserman emails were a distraction shortly before the Milano Games - as well as protests against the involvement of agents from the US's Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in security in Milan - Coventry said there had been past Olympics which were dogged by stories prior to their start, such as the Zika virus before the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics. "Anything that is distracting from these Games is sad," Coventry said. "What is keeping my faith alive is when the opening ceremony happens ... suddenly the world remembers the magic and spirit the Games have." Wasserman is a sports and entertainment executive who has been leading the LA28 Olympic project from the bidding phase and currently serves as chairman of the organising committee, which is due to deliver a progress report to the IOC session on Tuesday (February 3). Meanwhile the IOC's Executive Director of the Olympic Games, Christophe Dubi, played down concerns over ticket sales for the opening ceremony and the readiness of the venues. (Production: Leonardo Benassatto, Iain Axon) (The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)
