Far-right leader Matteo Salvini, deputy to Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni, expressed hope today that "when the war is over," Ukrainian and Russian athletes will participate in the 2026 Winter Olympics (WOI) in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo.
"Since peaceful negotiations are underway and the Olympic spirit should be one that brings people and athletes together, I hope... that the Games in Milan and Cortina will be the first where we will see Ukrainian and Russian athletes on the slopes," Salvini said at the opening of the bobsleigh and luge track for the 2026 Games.
"Seeing athletes from all over the world, when the war is over, covering 1.700 meters of this track means that we will also build a small piece of peace and that will be the most important thing," said Salvini, who is also the minister of transport and infrastructure in the Italian government.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, with the support of Belarus, in February 2022, athletes from those two countries have been expelled from international competitions, and where they do participate, they must meet strict criteria and compete as neutrals, without anthems, flags, and national symbols.
Only 15 Russian athletes participated in the Paris Olympics last summer, in individual competitions.
The same principle could be repeated at the Winter Olympics from February 6 to 22 in Milan and Cortina in 2026.
"My goal is for the Italian government to make the most of the idea that Europe must be the protagonist of peace," Salvini said.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Salvini has worked to curb Italy's military aid to Kiev, while trying to erase past closeness between his League party and Vladimir Putin's United Russia party. The two parties signed an agreement in 2017.
Salvini called French President Emmanuel Macron "crazy" in early March, accusing him of pushing Europe into war with Russia.
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