Debbie Laskey's Blog: Sharing Highlights as the Two Cauldrons Are Extinguished at the 2026 Winter Olympics!

The last two weeks have been a whirlwind of excitement in Italy and also around the world as fans of the Olympic Games watched on television (and other devices) and rooted for their countries' athletes. Yesterday, I shared a recap of my Olympics Leadership Series that took place each day during the last two weeks, and today, I'm sharing my recap of the actual event.

You may not recall everything that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry said during her Opening Ceremony speech, so here are the highlights:

"My fellow Olympians, over the next two weeks, you’re going to give us something truly special. You’ll show us what it means to be human. To dream. To overcome. To respect one another. To care for each other. This is why we all love the Olympic Games. Because through you, we see the very best of ourselves. You remind us that we can be brave. That we can be kind. And that we can get back up, no matter how hard we fall. When we see an athlete stumble and find the strength to rise, we are reminded that we can do the same. When we see rivals embrace at the end of a finish line, we are reminded that we can choose respect. When we see grace, courage and friendship – we remember the kind of people we all want to be.

The spirit of the Olympic Games is about so much more than sport. It is about us – and what makes us human. In Africa, where I’m from, we have a word: ubuntu. It means: I am because we are. That we can only rise by lifting others. That our strength comes from caring for each other. No matter where you come from, we all know this spirit – it lives and breathes in every community. I see this spirit most clearly at the Olympic Games. Here, athletes from every corner of our world compete fiercely – but also respect, support and inspire one another. They remind us that we are all connected, that our strength comes from how we treat each other, and that the best of humanity is found in courage, compassion and kindness.

So let these Games be a celebration of what unites us – of everything that makes us human. This is the magic of the Olympic Games: inspiring us all to be the best that we can be – together. We cannot wait to watch you, to cheer for you, to be inspired by you. To see your courage. Your strength. To see the best of humanity shine before the world. Let your flame spark hope, let it ignite joy and light the way for all of us."

OPENING CEREMONY

I thought no one could rival the magnificence of Celina Dion singing high atop the Eiffel Tower during the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, but Andrea Bocelli certainly did!

According to Liz Calvario of Today, "Andrea Bocelli, described as "a symbol of Italian excellence," inspired with an emotional performance at the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics. Following an inspiring video montage of the weeks leading to the opening ceremony as the Olympic flame made its way across the world and now to Italy, the iconic tenor and singer made his appearance on stage. He sang "Nessun Dorma" from Giacomo Puccini’s opera "Turandot." The performance was inspired by the concept of harmony and was produced by Balich Wonder Studio. As Bocelli sang, the torch arrived and the bearers made their way to light the cauldron in Milan."

And according to That Eric Alper, "The performance served as a powerful reminder of how music can be a shared language, echoing the athletes' journeys and stories...Bocelli made his Olympic debut at the Closing Ceremony of the Torino 2006 Winter Games, remaining a key figure for the Italian Olympic Games two-decades later. Music emerges as a universal language in this year's program, celebrating unity through diversity for a truly shared experience, becoming an integral part of the story that unites sport, art, and culture, in the spirit of the Olympic values of dialogue and sharing."

TWO HOST CITIES & TWO CAULDRONS

This was also the first Olympics with dual host cities, the northern city of Milan and the town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, about a five-hour drive to the northeast in the Alps. Therefore, there were two cauldrons. Their design was inspired by the sun as a source of light and energy, as well as knot patterns from the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci, who lived in Milan from 1483 to 1499. According to the Olympic website, "These are geometric interlacings that symbolize the harmony between nature and human ingenuity...bearing witness to the continuity of time and the natural alternation between day and night."

MASCOTS

According to the Olympic website, "Olympic mascots have been a key part of the Games since 1968. They’re tasked with giving concrete form to the Olympic spirit, spreading the values highlighted at each edition of the Games; promoting the history and culture of the host city; and giving the event a festive atmosphere."

So, who were the mascots from Milan and Cortina? According to NPR, "For decades, each Olympic and Paralympic Games has been represented by a mascot of some sort, with varying receptions from the public. Taking up the mantle for 2026 are Milo and Tina, a pair of scarf-wearing sibling stoats — or, as they're called in the United States, short-tailed weasels. The two are named after the Winter Games' two host cities, Milan (Milano) and Cortina d'Ampezzo, and are described by organizers as the "first openly Gen Z mascots." Tina, the Olympics mascot, is cream-colored with a brown-tipped tail. She is described as a "creative, down-to-earth type who lives in the city and loves to experience shows and concerts" and is "in awe of the power of beauty and its ability to transform." Milo, the Paralympics mascot, is brown with a white tummy. He lives in the mountains and loves to play practical jokes, frolic in the snow and invent musical instruments in his spare time, organizers say. He was born without a paw, but learned to walk using his tail.

For these Games, it all started with Italian schoolkids. As part of the creation process, Italy's Ministry of Education invited primary and secondary school students to submit ideas for the mascots — and got over 1,600 entries. It polled the public on its two shortlisted ideas: a pair of flowers (an edelweiss and a snowdrop) on a journey from the mountain to the city, courtesy of students in Lombardy; and the sporty stoats with Olympic dreams, courtesy of students in the Calabria region. Milo and Tina were officially unveiled to the public in February 2024, nearly two years to the day before the Olympics opening ceremony in Milan."

MEDALS

According to CNN, "Athletes on the podium at the Winter Olympics in Italy were awarded the most expensive medals in the history of the Games, thanks to soaring precious metals prices. More than 700 gold, silver and bronze medals were presented to the world’s top winter sports athletes taking part in events from skiing and ice hockey to figure skating and curling. And while the sentimental value is immeasurable, in pure cash terms, those medals will be worth more than ever before. Since the Olympic Games in Paris in July 2024, the spot prices of gold and silver have skyrocketed some 107 percent and 200 percent, respectively, according to FactSet data. Those eye-popping gains mean that, based on the metals prices alone, gold medals are now worth around $2,300, more than double their value at the Paris Olympics. Second-place silver medals are worth almost $1,400, or three times their value two years ago."

Let's take a moment to congratulate NORWAY for finishing at the top of the medal table, the 11th time (in 25 Olympics). Norway has won over 148 gold medals and 405 total medals. The country's most successful sports are cross-country skiing and speed skating - which account for over half of their medals.

BONUSES FOR WINNING MEDALS

Forbes reported, "Ahead of the Winter Olympics, the Italian National Olympic Committee committed to paying a cash bonus to any of the country's athletes who won a medal: roughly $213,000 for gold, $106,000 for silver, and $71,000 for bronze (converted to U.S. dollars at the exchange rate at the start of the Olympics). Those rewards were generous—among the 37 delegations confirming the payout of a bonus, only Singapore, Hong Kong, Poland, and Kazakhstan had plans for larger prizes.

However, Singapore (offering roughly $787,000 for gold in an individual sport) and Hong Kong ($768,000) were shut out of the medal table, as they have been at every previous edition of the Winter Games, and Kazakhstan ($250,000) had a single top-three performance: Mikhail Shaidorov’s victory in men’s figure skating over the heavily favored American Ilia Malinin. Poland, pledging a combined $355,000 for individual gold from its Olympic committee and the national government, fared better, with a total of four medals in ski jumping and speedskating. And there are more perks promised to Polish gold medalists that include a Toyota Corolla, a furnished two-room apartment, a painting, a vacation voucher, and jewelry worth up to about $800.

The U.S. has the next-highest bill for any delegation that confirmed its financial awards to Forbes, at more than $3 million, even though the figures per medal are much lower, at $37,500 for gold, $22,500 for silver, and $15,000 for bronze. One new perk for Team USA: Thanks to a $100 million donation from Stone Ridge Holdings Group founder Ross Stevens, each U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athlete will receive $100,000 toward retirement, regardless of their results at the Games, and their families will receive an additional $100,000 after they die.

Norway, a perennial powerhouse at the Winter Games, will shell out $513,000, but that number actually undersells its Olympic commitment. The nation will continue to pay that sum each year, with each Norwegian medalist eligible for an annual stipend worth about $17,000.

New Zealand will award the smallest amount - $3,000 - to an individual athlete for a gold medal. In all, 13 countries and territories are pledging to fork over at least $100,000 to any individual gold medalist. (Three other delegations—Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Romania—said the exact amounts of one-time payments had yet to be determined, and Luxembourg said it was keeping its bonus arrangements confidential.)

Not every nation makes medal bonuses available. Ireland and Great Britain, for instance, provide grants and training stipends to their elite athletes but don't offer additional pay directly tied to their Olympic performance."

DRONE TECHNOLOGY

According to The New York Times, "Drones have been used at the Olympics since the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, but have become increasingly common as the technology improves and sports audiences grow more used to up-close action. In these Games, drones are being called on to do more than ever before. Ralph Hogenbirk, a founder of the company Dutch Drone Gods, which has a background in professional drone racing, said that pilots of the drones had made sure the athletes were comfortable with them before the Games began." And according to NBC, "The Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) is deploying a fleet of high-tech devices in Italy this year as first-person-view (FPV) drones have been incorporated into live coverage to offer unique angles to viewers watching these Games from home."

IOC sports director Pierre Ducrey told Reuters. “We strive to offer the best viewing experience whether in the stadium or outside.”

OLYMPIC PIN TRADING

The Athletic reported, "The origins of pin trading go back to 1896, at the inaugural Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Credentials could not be printed with a photograph back then, so the pin was the official accreditation to identify officials and athletes. They began as wooden badges before evolving into pins at the London 1908 Games. The first pins were traded at the 1924 Paris Olympics, and the frenzy never died. For Greg Denardo, the Olympics have a personal connection. His grandfather, Renato Gardini, competed at the 1912 Stockholm Games for Italy in wrestling. Denardo, who is from Orlando, Florida, is attending his 13th Olympics; his first was the 1980 Winter Games in Lake Placid. His collection is close to 15,000. He has several luge pins because he was a luge judge at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games...According to a press release by Warner Bros., over 15,000 fans will have entered the pin trading center by the time the Olympics conclude, with over 1,200 pins sold each day. Trading pins embodies the Olympic spirit of bringing people from around the world together, and Nicholas Wolaver, a board member of the International Society of Olympic Historians and one of the collectors at the trading center, believes the success of Milan’s trading center will lead to even bigger operations for Los Angeles 2028, the first Summer Olympics in the U.S. since Atlanta."

UKRAINIAN ATHLETE'S DISQUALIFICATION

According to the Oakland Post, "The Ukrainian skeleton pilot Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified from the Games, for he wished to compete wearing a custom helmet that commemorated fellow Ukrainian athletes who had lost their lives since the Russian invasion first began. The request for a reprieve from political opinions during the Olympic Games has been a famous argument as to whether or not it is correct for athletes to use the stage that they earn as a moment to protest or not." Heraskevych was told that he could wear a black armband while competing and then wear the helmet, but he would not budge. If he could not wear the custom helmet, he did not want to compete. So, despite a one-on-one meeting with IOC President Kirsty Coventry, Heraskevych did not compete.

MORE DISQUALIFICATIONS

Did you see that three skiers were disqualified, two athletes from South Korea and one from Japan? They are the first known offenders of a new rule that bans the use of ski wax that contains "forever chemicals," that while, they have moisture-wicking properties that can help skis and snowboards go faster in the snow, they also can cause damage to the environment and the human body, especially the liver and immune system.

According to The New York Times, "PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of chemicals that have a special bond of carbon and fluorine atoms, making them strong and resistant to water, dirt, heat, and oil. For that reason, they're used in everyday items as varied as microwave popcorn bags, water-repellent clothing, stain-resistant carpets, cosmetics, dental floss, nonstick frying pans - and ski wax."

ABSENCE OF WOMEN'S NORDIC COMBINED

According to BBC, "Nordic combined - a combination of cross-country skiing and ski jumping - is the only Olympic discipline in which women cannot compete. The event has been a feature of the Winter Olympics since the first edition in Chamonix in 1924 but has only ever been open to men, despite there being women's World Cup and World Championship events. The IOC says the event is "in question overall" and that it is not a discussion about women but about the sport as a whole, citing low participation across different countries and a lack of viewership. This year 36 athletes are taking part in the men's event in Italy, down from 55 at Beijing 2022. The IOC also says Milan-Cortina is the most gender-equal Winter Games with 47 percent of the athletes women, while 50 of the 116 events are for females."

Billy Demong, a five-time Olympian in Nordic combined told the Associated Press the decision not to include the women's event in Italy is a "travesty and one of the biggest moves against gender equity in the Olympic movement in history."

CURLING CONTROVERSY

NPR explained, "In curling, players slide heavy granite rocks down sheets of ice. They must release the rock before a line drawn in the ice, the "hog line," or the stone is disqualified and taken out of play." While not as popular as ice dancing or speed skating, it draws fans due to its oddity.

The BBC reported, "A scandal at the Winter Olympics has left the Canadian curling teams on the defensive and Canadians reeling over the crack in their country's polite persona. Canadian curler Marc Kennedy had an expletive-filled outburst after Sweden accused him of cheating during a match, and later said his team might be the target of a "premeditated" attack by their rivals. Kennedy was accused of double-touching the curling stone, by making contact with the granite part of the stone with his finger after releasing it down the ice. The next day, Canadian women's captain Rachel Homan was accused of the same thing. Both have denied the accusations, but Canada's curling teams, who historically have dominated the sport, now face questions over their tactics. However, one of the curling instructors, Ankara Leonard, said the publicity could be good for the sport by generating interest."

NPR added, "Curling officials, who are stationed at either end of the sheet, say they didn't see the violations so they couldn't call it...After meeting with curling officials from different countries, World Curling said umpires would remain available to observe throws, but would only do so "at the request of the competing teams." It may have been disruptive to curlers to change the rules in the midst of the Olympics. Curlers anticipate debates and rule changes to come, such as whether video replays should be used to assist rulings, and what penalties curlers who break the rules incur."

CHALLENGES FOR MOM ATHLETES

According to The 19th, "Women have been competing in the Olympics since 1900 when they were first granted access to participate, but it’s taken decades for pregnancy and parenthood to be acknowledged as a natural part of an elite athlete’s path — and policy still hasn’t caught up...The children and families of athletes have historically not been allowed in the Olympic Village. Athletes who stay in the Olympic Village typically have their room and board covered; those who want to bring their kids along need to make — and pay for — other arrangements for housing accommodations and child care.

During the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, for the first time in history, a nursery arrangement was set up where parent athletes could visit with their children in the “nappy/diaper-wearing age.” There was also dedicated private space for breastfeeding.

For the 2026 Winter Olympics, there will be even fewer options for athlete parents. There will be no designated family space during The Games. A spokesperson from the International Olympic Committee confirmed that there will also be no permanent breastfeeding facilities within the Olympic Villages, but “a certain number of bookable spaces will be made available in each Village, which may be used for breastfeeding, among other purposes.”

These spaces matter a great deal for Olympic athletes because many are inclined to bring children along, rather than be separated for weeks, or in some cases, months. For breastfeeding mothers in particular, these spaces are not a luxury but a necessity.

Women’s participation in the Olympics has been steadily increasing over the decades, but it wasn’t until the 2024 Paris Olympics that it achieved gender parity among athletes.

While it’s not uncommon for men to have both professional athletic careers and children, it is a much harder road for women who must pause their training and competition schedule to have children. According to an ongoing survey about the motherhood penalty in sports, conducted by For All Mothers+ and Carleton University’s Health & Wellness Equity Research Group, 73 percent of mom athletes experienced a decrease, termination, or pause in funding related to pregnancy or motherhood, and 72 percent of respondents reported needing additional income or employment outside of their sport to support their family. The key goal for gathering this data is to influence policy changes more broadly across the sports industry. There are biases with the motherhood penalty that all are looking to shift."

It’s bigger than sports though, according to Olympic medalist and mother of three, Alysia Montano, who'd like to see the narrative change for all mothers in all industries, "The podium moments for athlete mothers are podium moments for all mothers."

SUSTAINABILITY

According to CNN, "Already in the Dolomites, thousands of tourists regularly gather for selfies at lakes and viewpoints made famous by social media. Roads are choked up with cars...With our mountains already under stress from tourism and the rising temperatures of climate change, now is not the time for more construction, more development, more artificial snow, more hotels that these Winter Olympics bring."

CURLING STONES HAIL FROM SCOTLAND

According to the National Museums Scotland, "Curling is a sport native to Scotland, that can be traced back to medieval times. Today, the game involves two teams taking turns to slide heavy, polished granite rocks (called stones) across ice toward a circular target. But where do the stones used in the game come from? Curling involves sliding stones that weigh around 18 kilograms across the ice towards a target, with the aim of getting your team's stones closer to the centre than your opponents'...All of the curling stones used throughout the Olympic competition are quarried on a small, uninhabited island in the Firth of Clyde called Ailsa Craig. The rock on Ailsa Craig, 16 kilometres west of Girvan, is a kind of granite. It has been recognised as an excellent material for making curling stones since the nineteenth century."

FUTURE OF ATHLETES' VILLAGE

According to Google, "The 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Village in Porta Romana is designed as a sustainable, permanent legacy, set to be converted into Italy's largest student housing complex for 1,700+ students after the Games, which will address a critical shortage of student beds in Milan. The site, featuring six new buildings and renovated historic structures, will include public green spaces, shops, cafes, and restaurants, transforming a former railway yard into a new, eco-friendly residential neighborhood. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the Village is a LEED Gold certified development that uses mass timber, low-carbon facades, and solar-powered energy, functioning as a "Nearly Zero Energy" neighborhood. And in Cortina, temporary modular homes will be repurposed for tourism (specifically a hockey club)."

PIEROGI PLUSH FROM TEAM POLAND

MSN reported, "Move over, Tina and Milo. Team Poland's pierogi plushie may have stolen the show at the Milan Cortina Olympics. The dumpling plush has been held up by many of Team Poland's Olympians, which they call "pieroguszki." That translates to "little pierogi" in English, according to NBC Olympics.

It's often been spotted in figure skating's Kiss and Cry zone. Figure skater Ioulia Chtchetinina has seen holding up the dumpling and beaming in several instances throughout the Games. The stuffie of stuffed pasta has gotten so popular among Olympics viewers that a Michelin Guide pierogi restaurant in Brooklyn, New York, that sells the plushies has been inundated with requests. Plushie versions of Tina and Milo, the official mascots of the Milan Cortina Olympics, were given to medalists at the Games. Perhaps stuffed pasta plushies could be considered next time."

COBRANDING, SPONSORS, AND PARTNERS

Did you notice all the brands at the Olympics? Companies who sponsored the Olympics included NBC, Hershey, Coca-Cola, Airbnb, Alibaba, Samsung, VISA, Deloitte, P&G, and Allianz. Other partners included Michelob ULTRA (alcohol-free), Lilly (health), and Technogym. Luxury brands Prada, Gucci, and Fendi were also heavily involved in the 2026 Games. As far as apparel and uniforms, the following brands were featured Ralph Lauren (USA), Lululemon (Canada), EA7 Emporio Armani (Italy), Uniqlo (Sweden), and Skims. And the official tech brand was Omega (for timing).

MEMORABLE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

So many brands shared memorable graphics and messages during the Olympics, here are some from Twitter/X:

* Hershey's, an official sponsor of Team USA, shared a post featuring its Hershey's Kisses dressed in red, white, and blue with gold medals

* Sesame Street featured many of its characters with the message, "Ciao from Milano! We are so excited to be here at the #WinterOlympics!

* Sesame Street also featured Cookie Monster with the message, "Cookie Monster's living his best dolce vita in Milan with his friends."

* American Bird Conservancy shared a photo of Olympic gold medalist ice skater Alysa Liu plus a photo of a bird with the message, "We aren't saying Alysa Liu "stole the look" from the White-crowned sparrow, but we aren't not saying it either, Congrats on an epic win! Learn how to help birds on and off the ice on our blog." (Liu's outfit matched the color of the bird)

* Major League Baseball (MLB) shared a post featuring Alysa Liu throwing out a first pitch by first doing a move from her skating routine with the message, "This first pitch, good as gold."

* BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) shared a post with the message, "Congrats to BART rider and Oakland legend Alysa Liu on winning a gold medal at the Olympics and making the Bay Area proud."

* Empire State Building shared a post featuring Alysa Liu jumping on the medal platform with the message, "This is how I wake up every morning."

* Encyclopaedia Britannica shared an infographic entitled, "Guide to Curling" with the message, "Here's everything you need to know to become an expert in the wild and wonderful world of curling."

And have you heard about the Olympic Truce? This ancient Greek tradition of halting all conflicts for the duration of the Games was revived in 1992. Member states of the United Nations are asked to observe a truce from seven days before the Opening Ceremony to seven days after the Paralympic Closing Ceremony.

And how about the "Photographer's Bite?" While it appears athletes are checking if their medals are solid gold, the tradition of biting medals is primarily driven by photographers. Historically, biting gold was a way to test its authenticity, as pure gold is soft enough to show indentations. The last solid gold medals were awarded in 1904; today’s gold medals are mostly silver with a thin gold plating.

With the 2026 Winter Olympics now in the history book, it's time to look ahead to the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics. How will LA compete with the last two unique Opening Ceremonies (Paris - parade of athletes in boats along the Seine and Milan/Cortina with two cities simultaneously featuring the parade of athletes)? And let's not forget the surprising arrival of James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Queen Elizabeth at the 2012 Summer London Olympics!

What will Los Angeles do differently since it will be the third time as host (previously hosted in 1932 and 1984)? How will Los Angeles amaze with the lighting of the Olympic flame (that can rival the balloon atop Paris)? How will Los Angeles keep the world's attention when events will take place in other cities around the United States? Note, softball and canoe slalom will take place 1,300 miles from Los Angeles in Oklahoma - and other cities were recently added to the venue list. And will there be famous celebrities as Olympics brand ambassadors similar to Snoop Dogg and Stanley Tucci? Perhaps, impersonators of Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe will attend events. The countdown has officially begun.

Debbie Laskey's Blog

Monday, February 23, 2026

Sharing Highlights as the Two Cauldrons Are Extinguished at the 2026 Winter Olympics!

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