Xinhua
On the eve of her departure for the Beijing Winter Olympics, the project manager for the next winter games — to be held in Italy in 2026 — said she believed the world was entering a new level of cooperation between Olympic host cities.
“Whether it’s we’re talking about our plans or those for Beijing and Paris, we’re starting to see a remarkable level of cooperation,” Diana Bianchedi, project manager for the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympics, told Xinhua. Bianchedi was referring to the Beijing Games, which get underway on Feb. 4, and the 2024 Summer Olympics, which will be held in Paris.
“Each city can benefit from the other’s experience, and every two years there’s a new story to tell about a new place,” said Bianchedi, herself a two-time Olympic gold medal winner in fencing. “There’s a history of strong relations between Italy and China that will continue in this way.”
Bianchedi’s trip to Beijing is as part of an Italian team of at least 40 organizers — completely separate from the 118-athlete team Italy sent to compete in the Games — who will be in Beijing in the coming weeks to observe how the 2022 Olympics are organized. “There is a great excitement that comes with attending the Olympics whether as an athlete, an official, or a fan,” she said. Bianchedi, who won her gold medals in 1992 (in Barcelona) and 2000 (in Sydney), said she has visited China many times, including for the 2008 Summer Olympics the city hosted.
