Latest news with #MilanCortinaGames
Al Arabiya
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Buonfiglio the New Italian Olympic Committee Boss Ahead of Milan-Cortina Games
Luciano Buonfiglio, a canoe athlete at the 1976 Montreal Games, was elected president of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) on Thursday to keep the body moving in the same direction ahead of next winter's Milan-Cortina Games. The 74-year-old Buonfiglio, who has been president of the Italian Canoe and Kayak Federation since 2005, was the candidate supported by outgoing CONI president Giovanni Malagò. Malagò, who is leaving the presidency after 12 years and three terms, remains president of the Milan-Cortina organizing committee. Buonfiglio was elected in the first round after receiving 47 of the 81 votes. Luca Pancalli, who led Italy's Paralympic Committee for a quarter century, received the remaining 34 votes. Franco Carraro, the 85-year-old former International Olympic Committee member who ran as a peacemaker, didn't get any votes. During his pre-vote speech, Carraro said he was very concerned that Buonfiglio and Pancalli led groups of voters who were strongly opposed to each other, but told his supporters that they were free to vote for either of those two candidates. Buonfiglio was also a CONI vice president from 2013–18.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
An 85-year-old former IOC member could be the key candidate in contentious vote for CONI presidency
ROME (AP) — An 85-year-old former IOC member could be the decisive candidate in a contentious election for the presidency of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), which will have a major role in helping organize next winter's Milan-Cortina Games. Franco Carraro is seen as a peacemaker between leading candidates Luciano Buonfiglio and Luca Pancalli in Thursday's vote. Advertisement Outgoing CONI president Giovanni Malagò supports Buonfiglio, the president of the Italian Canoe and Kayak Federation, while Sports Minister Andrea Abodi supports Pancalli, the president of the Italian Paralaympics Committee. With both Buonfiglio and Pancalli maintaining that they have the necessary 41 votes to be elected with an outright majority in the first round, the election could come down to more rounds of voting when Carraro might swing his supporters one way or another. Carraro was nominated as a neutral option but needed special approval since he already served three terms as CONI president from 1978-1987. The electoral commission admitted him, though, apparently because he served before new rules were instituted limiting presidents to a maximum of three terms. Carraro was an International Olympic Committee member from 1982 to 2019, when his membership expired due to age limits. In 2020 he became an honorary member. Advertisement Carraro's career spans 7 decades Known as the 'Presidentissimo,' Carraro has also led the Italian soccer federation on multiple occasions, was Rome's mayor and served as an Italian senator, among many other duties in a sports administration career spanning seven decades — since he became president of the Italian Waterski Federation in 1962. 'Time passes for everything,' Abodi said when Carraro was nominated. Still, the race is expected to come down to the 74-year-old Buonfiglio, who was a canoe athlete at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and has led Italy's canoe and kayak federation since 2005; and the 61-year-old Pancalli, who has led Italy's Paralaympics committee for a quarter century. Advertisement Paolo Barelli and Angelo Binaghi, the influential presidents of the Italian swimming and tennis federations, respectively, and longtime enemies of Malagò, both support Pancalli. Malagò remains Milan-Cortina president Malagò, who is leaving the presidency after 12 years and three terms, unsuccessfully lobbied for a special extension to remain in charge through the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February and Paralympics in March. Malagò is also the president of the Milan-Cortina organizing committee and is expected to remain in that position. He's also an IOC member. No women among 8 candidates There are 80 potential voters, so 41 votes are needed to win in the first round. Advertisement In the second and third rounds, a majority of votes among those present at the election are required, while from the fourth round, whoever gets the most votes wins. Besides Carraro, Buonfiglio and Pancalli, there are five other candidates who are not expected to garner much support. None of the candidates are women. Soccer and sailing events CONI oversees all sports in Italy, which has a series of major events coming up: The America's Cup sailing competition will be held of Naples in 2027, the next Winter Youth Olympics will be held in northern Italy in 2028, and soccer's European Championship will be co-hosted by Italy and Turkey in 2032. ___ AP Olympics:
Associated Press
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
An 85-year-old former IOC member could be the key candidate in contentious vote for CONI presidency
ROME (AP) — An 85-year-old former IOC member could be the decisive candidate in a contentious election for the presidency of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), which will have a major role in helping organize next winter's Milan-Cortina Games. Franco Carraro is seen as a peacemaker between leading candidates Luciano Buonfiglio and Luca Pancalli in Thursday's vote. Outgoing CONI president Giovanni Malagò supports Buonfiglio, the president of the Italian Canoe and Kayak Federation, while Sports Minister Andrea Abodi supports Pancalli, the president of the Italian Paralaympics Committee. With both Buonfiglio and Pancalli maintaining that they have the necessary 41 votes to be elected with an outright majority in the first round, the election could come down to more rounds of voting when Carraro might swing his supporters one way or another. Carraro was nominated as a neutral option but needed special approval since he already served three terms as CONI president from 1978-1987. The electoral commission admitted him, though, apparently because he served before new rules were instituted limiting presidents to a maximum of three terms. Carraro was an International Olympic Committee member from 1982 to 2019, when his membership expired due to age limits. In 2020 he became an honorary member. Carraro's career spans 7 decades Known as the 'Presidentissimo,' Carraro has also led the Italian soccer federation on multiple occasions, was Rome's mayor and served as an Italian senator, among many other duties in a sports administration career spanning seven decades — since he became president of the Italian Waterski Federation in 1962. 'Time passes for everything,' Abodi said when Carraro was nominated. Still, the race is expected to come down to the 74-year-old Buonfiglio, who was a canoe athlete at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and has led Italy's canoe and kayak federation since 2005; and the 61-year-old Pancalli, who has led Italy's Paralaympics committee for a quarter century. Paolo Barelli and Angelo Binaghi, the influential presidents of the Italian swimming and tennis federations, respectively, and longtime enemies of Malagò, both support Pancalli. Malagò remains Milan-Cortina president Malagò, who is leaving the presidency after 12 years and three terms, unsuccessfully lobbied for a special extension to remain in charge through the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February and Paralympics in March. Malagò is also the president of the Milan-Cortina organizing committee and is expected to remain in that position. He's also an IOC member. No women among 8 candidates There are 80 potential voters, so 41 votes are needed to win in the first round. In the second and third rounds, a majority of votes among those present at the election are required, while from the fourth round, whoever gets the most votes wins. Besides Carraro, Buonfiglio and Pancalli, there are five other candidates who are not expected to garner much support. None of the candidates are women. Soccer and sailing events CONI oversees all sports in Italy, which has a series of major events coming up: The America's Cup sailing competition will be held of Naples in 2027, the next Winter Youth Olympics will be held in northern Italy in 2028, and soccer's European Championship will be co-hosted by Italy and Turkey in 2032. ___ AP Olympics:
NBC Sports
16-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
2026 Olympic men's hockey rosters: first six players per team named so far
The 12 nations that qualified for the 2026 Olympic men's hockey tournament are naming the first six players to their roster on Monday. The final 25-man rosters will be named closer to the start of the Milan Cortina Games, which open Feb. 6. It will mark the return of NHL players to the Olympics for the first time since the 2014 Sochi Games. Below are the nations that so far have named their first six players. Latvia: Rodrigo Abols, Uvis Balinskis, Zemgus Girgensons, Elvis Merzlikins, Arturs Silovs, Teodors Blugers; Finland: Juuse Saros, Esa Lindell, Miro Heiskanen, Mikko Rantanen, Aleksander Barkov, Sebastian Aho; Sweden: Rasmus Dahlin, Victor Hedman, Adrian Kempe, Gabriel Landeskog, William Nylander, Lucas Raymond; Italy: Damian Clara, Thomas Larkin, Luca Zanatta, Diego Kostner, Tommy Purdeller, Daniel Mantenuto; Czechia: David Pastrnak, Martin Necas, Ondrej Palat, Pavel Zacha, Radko Gudas, Lukas Dostal; Switzerland: Jonas Siegenthaler, Roman Josi, Kevin Fiala, Nico Hischier, Nino Niederreiter, Timo Meier; Germany: Leon Draisaitl, Moritz Seider, Philipp Grubauer, Lukas Reichel, Nico Sturm, Tim Stutzle; Slovakia: Juraj Slafkovsky, Martin Pospisil, Simon Nemec, Martin Fehervary, Erik Cernak, Tomas Tatar; Denmark: Frederik Andersen, Nikolaj Ehlers, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Jesper Jensen Aabo, Lars Eller, Jonas Rondbjerg Nick Zaccardi,
NBC Sports
02-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
2026 Milan Cortina Olympic hockey groups set for men's, women's tournaments
The 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic men's and women's hockey groups are set with France replacing Russia in both tournaments. The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) confirmed the groups Monday, noting it is following an IOC recommendation in place since March 2023 that athletes from Russia and Belarus should be banned from team events in Olympic sports. Russia and Belarus have been suspended from IIHF tournaments, including the annual world championships, since shortly after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Athletes from Russia and Belarus were allowed to compete as individual neutral athletes in some sports at the 2024 Paris Olympics upon review and invitation by the IOC, but not in any team sports. After 2026 Olympic hockey qualifying ended, the IIHF announced two possible fields for the Milan Cortina Games: one with Russia in both tournaments (qualifying via world ranking) in case its suspension would be lifted and one without Russia in both tournaments. France was the next-highest-ranked team in qualifying for both men (first Olympic appearance since 2002) and women (first Olympic appearance ever). 2026 Winter Olympics men's hockey groups Group A: Canada, Switzerland, Czechia, France (replaces Russia) Group B: Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, Italy Group C: U.S., Germany, Latvia, Denmark Teams of players from Russia won Olympic men's hockey gold in 2018 and silver in 2022, with no NHL participation either time. The Russian name, flag and anthem were not allowed at either Games due to the nation's anti-doping violations. NHL players are expected to return to the Olympics in 2026 for the first time since 2014. Canada won the last two Olympic tournaments with NHL players in 2010 and 2014, plus won this past February's 4 Nations Face-Off — a best-on-best tournament with NHL players from Canada, the U.S., Sweden and Finland. A team of players from Russia, the Unified Team (1992) or the Soviet Union played in every Olympic men's tournament from 1956 through 2022, winning nine of those 18 tournaments. 2026 Winter Olympics women's hockey groups Group A: Canada, U.S., Finland, Czechia, Switzerland Group B: Japan, Sweden, Germany, Italy, France (replaces Russia) The Russia women's hockey team, which has never won an Olympic medal, would have been placed in the lower-ranked of the two Olympic women's tournament groups had it been allowed to participate. The seven Olympic women's tournaments held so far have been won by either Canada (five times) or the U.S. (twice). Only once has a team other than Canada or the U.S. made the final — when Sweden lost to Canada in 2006. At the 2022 Olympics and recent world championships, all of the Group A teams — the world's five highest-ranked teams — automatically qualified for the quarterfinals. Nick Zaccardi,
