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IOC chief laments 'distracting' news cycle ahead of 2026 Winter Olympics
By Ryan Gaydos
Published February 01, 2026
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry lamented the major news stories that have consumed the world ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Coventry faced questions over the controversy about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the U.S. and the Jeffrey Epstein files being released as she talked to reporters on Sunday with the opening of the Milan Cortina Games days away.
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Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry meets the media in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (Claudio Furlan/LaPresse via AP)
While she tried to deflect, Coventry did say it was "sad" that the stories were taking attention away from the Olympics.
"I think anything that is distracting from these Games is sad, right? But we’ve learned over the many years… there’s always been something that has taken the lead, leading up to the Games," she said. "Whether it has been Zika, COVID, there has always been something.
"But what is keeping my faith alive is that when that opening ceremony happens and those athletes start competing, suddenly the world remembers the magic and the spirit that the Games have and they get to suddenly remember what’s actually important and they get to be inspired and so we’re really looking forward to that."
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Border Patrol agents detain a person during federal immigration enforcement actions in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 7, 2026. (Kerem Yucel/ AFP via Getty Images)
Coventry faced questions about ICE as the federal agents were set to be used to help security for the U.S. delegation – which caused protests in Italy.
"From all the information that we have and I believe that the U.S. authorities, as the other authorities, have made all the clarifications needed, so from our side that’s not for us to further comment on that part of the security. But we’re really looking forward to the games," Coventry said of ICE.
On Saturday, a new batch of emails in the Epstein case showed correspondence between Los Angeles Olympic organizing committee chair Casey Wasserman and Epstein’s one-time girlfriend Ghislane Maxwell. The exchange occurred in 2003.
"We didn’t discuss it yesterday and I believe Mr. Wasserman has put out his statement and we now have nothing further to add," she said.
Coventry added that the focus has been on Milan Cortina.
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The Winter Olympics begin Friday with the opening ceremony.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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