Press Conference “Olympics and Equality. Research project and photographic exhibition for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games of Milan Cortina 2026”

On the occasion of the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Milan Cortina 2026, a press conference was held at noon on Wednesday 28 January 2026 at Palazzo Visconti in Milan for the presentation of an innovative research project and a photographic exhibition with the support of the Bracco Foundation in partnership with Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, the International Olympic Committee and the City of Verona.

The research project, which is being carried out by Osservatorio di Pavia [a media studies institute] with support from the International Olympic Committee and the Bracco Foundation, seeks to acquire evidence about media coverage that can be put to good use in the shaping of the policies and actions of public and private institutions. The research, which involves the monitoring of the main national television news services, began during the Paris 2024 Games and will culminate with the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics and Paralympics. Its purpose is to measure the extent of the alignment of the sampled media sources to the Portrayal Guidelines for Gender-equal, fair and inclusive representation in sport of the International Olympic Committee. The research is set to produce the first comprehensive and detailed view of national media portrayals of gender between July 2024 and March 2026, thus not only giving a snapshot of the present, but also establishing a legacy of knowledge and good practice.

Along with the research project, the press conference also announced important new venues for the photographic exhibition “A Life in Sport: The Faces and Achievements of 100 Female Experts”[#100esperte], which will be set up from 4 February to 15 March 2026 outdoors on Corso Porta Borsari in Verona. The exhibition, created by the  Bracco Foundation with the patronage of Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, celebrates the talent and achievements of 22 women achievers in the world of sports whose images are immortalized by the renowned photographer Gerald Bruneau. Among them is Kirsty Coventry, President of the International Olympic Committee, the first woman and first African in history to hold this role. The exhibition is also part of the Cultural Olympiad of Milano Cortina 2026.

The press presentation, which was moderated by SportWeek Director Pier Bergonzi, was opened by Diana Bracco, Chair of the Bracco Foundation, who spoke of how Winter Olympics and Paralympics, being events of global significance, were powerful instruments for the promotion of balanced storytelling.

Her speech was followed by institutional greetings from the Rt Hon. Eugenia Maria Roccella, Minister for Family, Births and Equal Opportunities, Attilio Fontana, President of the Region of Lombardy, Alessia Rotta, Head of the Department of Trade and Events of the City of Verona and Martina Riva, Head of the Department of Sport, Tourism and Youth Policies of the City of Milan.

Monia Azzalini, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the Osservatorio di Pavia (#100esperte), presented unpublished data on the coverage of women's sport in the year of TV newscasts following Paris 2024 compared with coverage during the Olympics and Paralympics. She also announced the continuation of the research and monitoring project for Milan Cortina 2026.

Charlotte Groppo (IOC Head of Gender Equality Diversity and Inclusion Unit) and Andrea Monti (Chief Communications Officer of Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation) shared their insights on the data, and pointed to the combined work being done to ensure the 2026 Winter Games deliver historic results, including from a gender perspective.

The press conference concluded with a conversation with two of the subjects of the photographic exhibition “A Life devoted to Sport: The faces and success stories of 100 high-achieving women” [#100esperte], namely Martina Caironi, Paralympic multi-medal winner in the long jump and 100 metres, member of the “Fiamme Gialle” (Finance Police Corps], and legacy specialist at Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation; and Gerda Weissensteiner, Olympic multi-medal winner in the sledding and bob categories.

In an era that calls for collective action to achieve gender balance and dismantle the stereotypes that hinder personal and societal growth, these projects reaffirm the Bracco Foundation’s commitment to valuing women’s contributions to sport. By offering a clear-sighted and informed perspective, they serve as a lasting legacy for future Olympic and Paralympic Games.