LOSANNA (SWITZERLAND) (ITALPRESS) – The Italian Alps are set to host the next Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in 2028. The decision was made today by members of the IOC during the 143rd session of the International Olympic Committee convened in Lausanne. Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 will be the fifth edition of the Winter YOGs. The competitions will be heldexclusively at existing venues in three clusters in Valtellina,Trentino and Cortina, returning to some of the sporticonic facilities that will be used for the Winter Olympic GamesMilano Cortina 2026. The 2028 YOGs will be part of the legacy ofMilano Cortina 2026 and reinvest in communities with strong winter sports traditions. The project is being spearheaded by the Italian National Olympic Committee, the administrations of theRegions of Veneto and Lombardy and the Autonomous Province of Trento,with support from the government, and is in line with longterm plans to raise the profile of the regions as winter sports destinations. The Italian delegation to the Olympic House wascomprised of Giovanni Malagò, president of CONI and member of Cioin Italy, Andrea Abodi, minister for Sport and Youth,Attilio Fontana, president of the Lombardy Region, MaurizioFugatti, president of the Autonomous Province of Trento, CristianoCorazzari, councillor for Culture and Sport of the Veneto Region, and Olympic champions Diana Bianchedi and Antonio Rossi.”The election of Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 is an expression of the IOC’s confidence in Italy’s ability to offer exceptional, world-class winter disport events,” stressed IOC President Thomas Bach. “TheOlympic movement and host regions are already excited about MilanCortina 2026, just over a year before the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Today’s news means that the enthusiasm will extend to the end of the decade, and the benefits to local communities will continue.” “Italy is once again ready to put its heart, passion and expertise into hosting an event that will not only be a spectacular sporting occasion, but also a significant growth opportunity for the entire nation,” added Minister Abodi. “We aim to inspire the younger generations to embrace the values of sport as a tool for inclusion and social cohesion, a universal language capable of uniting cultures and nations and fostering the diplomacy we so desperately need. Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 will be possible, Abodi added, thanks to the full collaboration between the government, the Lombardy Region, the Veneto Region, the Autonomous Province of Trento and CONI. “The organization of the Winter Youth Olympic Games will be a further showcase for the infrastructure built by Simico – Società Infrastrutture Milano Cortina, leaving further positive legacies in terms of sports facilities, educational programs and social initiatives that will continue to generate an impact well beyond the closing of the 2028 YOG.” The program, from Jan. 15-29, 2028, will include all seven Winter Olympic sports: biathlon, bobsledding, curling, ice hockey, luge, skating and skiing. Seven of the 11 venues proposed for the YOGs will already be in use in 2026: the Stelvio slope in Bormio for alpine skiing, the Aerials & Mogul Park in Livigno and the Snow Park in Livigno for freestyle and snowboarding, the Sliding Centre in Cortina for bobsleigh, skeleton and luge, the Ski Jumping Stadium in Predazzo, the Cross-Country Ski Stadium in Tesero and the Olympic Stadium in Cortina for curling. There is also an opportunity to bring competitions to venues that cannot be used in 2026. No athlete will stay more than an hour away from their venue, with seven of the 11 venues less than 15 minutes from their respective villages. A festival of local sports, arts and culture will run throughout 2027, until the Olympic Torch celebrations in December. During the YOGs, festival sites will be run in Bormio and Trento. “This is a historic day for Italian sport and for athletes around the world,” Malagò’s words, “Building on the extraordinary legacy of Milan Cortina 2026, Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 will offer a unique opportunity to inspire new generations, showcase the transformative power of sport and set new benchmarks for global events.This important achievement for our country was made possible thanks to the strong support of the national government and the dedication of our regional and local partners. Italy and theConi have proven to be reliable partners of the IOC and together we will surely succeed in achieving an unprecedented edition of the YOGs.” “While for the 2026 Olympics an analysis was done by Bocconi and Cà Foscari, in this case we believe that we can use not the same numbers evidently, but certainly the same proportion: if it is true that for the 2026 Games an added value of more than three billion and new jobs of more than 30,000 was predicted, it is clear that the numbers will not be the same, but there will certainly be results that go in this direction. After the Olympics, attractiveness and communication in the territories will also help increase the presence of tourists,” said Lombardy Region President Attilio Fontana. “There is a positive and enthusiastic feeling about the work we are going to do and the results we are reaping,” he added. “The position of the interventions for the 2026 Olympics are according to the prescribed lines and timetable, and today’s is another day of great satisfaction to continue to spread this message about the organization of major events and the involvement of young people. “Amazing news comes from Lausanne. The International Olympic Committee has chosen our Dolomiti Valtellina bid to host the new Winter Youth Olympics in 2028. So once again a great event in Veneto in our Dolomites, obviously retracing the venues that were built and modernized for the 2026 Winter Olympics, but this time for another great occasion, the Winter Youth Olympics to be held in 2028 from January 15 to 29. Another big win. Veneto in the front row and thanks to everyone for believing in it,” Veneto President Luca Zaia said in a video message. “A new great satisfaction,” said President of the Autonomous Province of Trento Maurizio Fugatti, “and a new source of pride for Trentino. This nomination rewards the enormous work done in organizing next year’s Olympics and Paralympics, recognizes our unparalleled organizational skills demonstrated on several occasions, and the renovation program of the facilities in Predazzo, Tesero and Pinè designed precisely to be used for a long time in the future. It will be a new great celebration for all of Trentino, which two years after the Olympic and Paralympic Games will once again be admired around the world. “Members of the IOC voted 89 “yes” for Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 and 1 “no” out of 90 valid votes, with 2 abstentions.- photo press office Veneto Region -(ITALPRESS).
