Milano Cortina 2026:
Iran confirms lineup for Winter Games
Iran will be represented by four athletes in the men’s and women’s competition at the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games in Italy, the country’s Skiing and Winter Sports Federation announced.
The 25th edition of the multi-sport event will take place from February 6 to 22 at sites across Lombardy and Northeast Italy.
Sadaf Saveh‑Shemeshki will compete in the women’s alpine skiing event, with Mohammad Kiadarbandsari taking part in the men’s competition.
In cross‑country skiing, Samaneh Beyrami Baher and Danial have secured their places in the women’s and men’s contests, respectively.
The Iranian coaching staff comprises Baqer Kalhor (men’s alpine), Mitra Kalhor (women’s alpine), Seyyed Mostafa Mirhashemi (men’s cross‑country), and Azadeh Kiashemeshki (women’s cross‑country).
The Iranian chief de mission at the Olympics will be Bahram Saveh‑Shemeshki, the chairman of the sport’s national governing body.
Preparations for the Games are back on schedule, with snow making and infrastructure work progressing well across all venues, International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) president Johan Eliasch said on Wednesday.
Speaking one month before the start of the event, Eliasch said recent cold temperatures had helped organizers address earlier concerns over snow farming and snow making at key sites including Cortina d’Ampezzo, Livigno, Bormio and Val di Fiemme.
“Yes, it has,” Eliasch said when asked whether his confidence had grown. “The preparations are advancing very well. We’ve had cold temperatures, which helps. And right now, it looks like there should be no issue to complete everything on time as planned. So that’s very good news.”
Italian authorities and organizers have faced mounting scrutiny over delays, funding gaps and climate-related risks ahead of the Games, particularly after a warm start to the winter raised doubts about snow reliability.
Eliasch said snow security remained partly dependent on weather conditions but stressed that organizers had the technical capacity and resources in place to manage risks.
“We are in the hands of the gods but you also need the resources for snow making, and the capabilities that are necessary here are in place,” Eliasch said. “So from that perspective ... it’s all looking good.”