VIDEO SHOWS: IOC PRESS CONFERENCE AHEAD OF THE 2026 WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES, WITH FILE FOOTAGE OF IOC PRESIDENT KIRSTY COVENTRY, US PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI INFANTINO & THE OLYMPIC SLIDING CENTRE SHOWS: LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (JANUARY 21, 2026) (IOC - Access All) 1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC PRESIDENT, KIRSTY COVENTRY, SAYING "As the IOC, we are always aware of all the conversations that are happening and all the geopolitics and all the political conversations that are having or happening. But I also want to make it clear that it is not our remit, right? We're a sport organization, it is not within our remit to comment on sovereignty and political conversations. It is our goal to ensure that we have all of our National Olympic Committees represented at all of our games, and we will continue to do that in the best way that we can." LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (FILE - APRIL 9, 2025) (AGENCY POOL - Access all) 2. ENTRANCE OF FORMER IOC PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH WITH IOC PRESIDENT, KIRSTY COVENTRY 3. COVENTRY AT IOC MEETING LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (JANUARY 21, 2026) (IOC - Access All) 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC PRESIDENT, KIRSTY COVENTRY, SAYING "As it pertains to the United States, we have not had any formal communication just yet with the White House. We have seen the formal announcement of President Trump's team - I think, is how he, I'm trying to make sure I have the right wording - representatives, because he made a specific announcement on who would be representing him at the games. So we look forward to meeting the Vice President and his team that will be with him in Milano-Cortina. And the conversations with LA are progressing really well." WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (FILE - AUGUST 22, 2025) (UNRESTRICTED POOL - Access all) 5. FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI INFANTINO HANDS US PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP A BLOW UP COPY OF WORLD CUP MATCH TICKET LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (JANUARY 21, 2026) (IOC - Access All) 6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC PRESIDENT, KIRSTY COVENTRY, SAYING "With my dear friend and colleague, President Infantino, you know, he's got his FIFA World Cup in just a couple of months, so if we weren't seeing that good relationship, I'd be a little worried, right? And hopefully as we get closer to the games, we will see relations continuing as they have been with the IOC, with the Olympic movement, with the Olympic movement in the United States only getting stronger." CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, ITALY (FILE) (REUTERS - Access all) (MUTE) 7. AERIAL FOOTAGE OF THE OLYMPIC SLIDING CENTRE AT CORTINA LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (JANUARY 21, 2026) (IOC - Access All) 8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC OLYMPIC GAMES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CHRISTOPHE DUBI, SAYING "Is there still some work to be done, Rachel? Yes, a lot. What I've been told, and I'm no construction expert, right, but it's not complex work. So anything that has to do with any of the systems, especially for the track, refrigeration, electricity, timing, scoring, all this is in place - cameras, I've seen them, we have great coverage. Now, what I saw while walking is still a lot of finishing touches, right? Some concrete pavements for additional tents for hospitality, some groundwork to get the venue ready for spectators, where currently it's a bit patchy when you walk. But what I've been told, it's impressive, but it's not complex, and they have a lot of people working, OK? So it will be ready, no doubt, it will be ready." CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, ITALY (FILE) (REUTERS - Access all) 9. BOBSLEDS AT THE OLYMPIC SLIDING CENTRE 10. WORK IN PROGRESS AT THE OLYMPIC SLIDING CENTRE LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (JANUARY 21, 2026) (IOC - Access All) 11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC OLYMPIC GAMES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CHRISTOPHE DUBI, SAYING "So all in all, very confident with sliding, cannot deny work has to be done." CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, ITALY (FILE) (REUTERS - Access all) 12. VARIOUS OF THE OLYMPIC SLIDING CENTRE LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (JANUARY 21, 2026) (IOC - Access All) 13. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC OLYMPIC GAMES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CHRISTOPHE DUBI, SAYING "Hat off to all those that could pull out such a venue in so little time, as you know, it was always a complex project, it started late. But this is where, President, when we speak about, you know, the great objectives of having the best conditions for the games for the athletes, it means all hands on deck. 1,600 workers a day in the venue to get it ready, so that's where we're at." CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, ITALY (FILE) (REUTERS - Access all) 14. VARIOUS OF THE OLYMPIC SLIDING CENTRE 15. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC OLYMPIC GAMES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CHRISTOPHE DUBI, SAYING "A lot of confidence, a lot of workers on the ground. So we'll be ready to host the best athletes." STORY: The International Olympic Committee has not yet had any formal communication with the White House and U.S. President Donald Trump on preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics, IOC President Kirsty Coventry said on Wednesday (January 21). Asked if there had been any talks with the White House in recent months amid rising international tension over preparation for the Los Angeles Olympics, expected to bring together more than 10,000 athletes from over 200 nations, Coventry said it was not up to the IOC to comment on geopolitics. The U.S. will be co-hosting the soccer World Cup later this year, with Gianni Infantino, the President of the sport's world governing body FIFA, having repeatedly met with Trump at the White House and also awarding him a peace prize in December. Vice President JD Vance will lead the American presidential delegation to the Games' opening ceremony on February 6. He will be joined by his wife, Usha Vance, the second lady of the U.S., in Italy. Elsewhere at the press conference, the IOC's Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi expressed his confidence that the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics sliding centre and the ice hockey stadium will be ready to host the games. Dubi updated the press that works are almost complete, but some work is still due to be completed in order to host the Games in 16 days' time. The sliding centre in Cortina d'Ampezzo was under intense pressure after Italy decided less than three years ago to build a new venue instead of using an existing one in a neighbouring country to keep costs down and speed up preparations. That decision -- opposed by the IOC before being grudgingly accepted -- meant Italian organisers had their backs to the wall from the start of the project. Milan's Santagiulia ice hockey venue had an equally tight construction schedule. (Production: Joseph Andrews) (The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)
