Olympics: gold for Brignone and Lollobrigida, silver for Fontana and bronze in team luge

Ukrainian flag-bearer Vladyslav Heraskevych has decided to appeal the International Olympic Committee's disqualification to TAS.

'Feeling a profound legal, sporting and historical injustice, and in agreement with Vladyslav and in his best interests, I have filed an appeal under the special accelerated procedure to challenge decisions taken during the Olympic Games - the procedure for reviewing cases before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which can take place within 24 hours,' Yevhen Pronin, the Ukrainian athlete's lawyer, wrote on social media.

Milan Cortina: Lollobrigida gold bis, also wins 5000 metres

The Olympics are competitions, emotions, cheers, but also memories. And there is a culture, that of 'pin traiding', i.e. the hobby of collecting, buying and exchanging pins of particular events or themes, which is one of the most popular ways to take home a memento of the Olympics. A game for neophytes, a practice that is more than a passion for historic collectors. All it takes is a smile, a few jokes and the pin that is donated in exchange for another between two strangers, so in a matter of minutes, it becomes the sign of an eternal friendship - and memory -. Today at 'The Peak', the space that Coca-Cola has set up in Piazza del Cannone, Milan, a dozen collectors from all over the world gathered. "Pins are appreciated by all fans and supporters because they are a way to take home a little piece of the Olympics," explains Andrea Bombrini, Marketing Director for Milan Cortina 2026 of Coca-Cola, which creates dedicated pins and even pin trading centres, places where collectors can find each other to exchange pins. "Also for Milano Cortina 2026," concludes Bombrini, "we have created a space in The Peak, a corner that celebrates the history of pins and where people can find a special collection for Milano Cortina 2026.

Spille assortite dei giochi Olimpici Milano Cortina 2026 (REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo)

The strikes in the airline industry called during the Winter Olympics period will cause enormous damage to those who, due to the lockout, will not be able to reach destinations related to the Olympic Games. This was stated by Codacons, after the trade unions' decision to confirm the protests of 16 February and 7 March. The workers' claims are sacrosanct and to be fully supported, but it is undeniable that calling repeated strikes in such a delicate period as Milan-Cortina is tantamount to damaging the public heading to the Olympic Games. - the association explains - Think of those who have purchased in advance accommodation, tickets to attend the competitions, ancillary services, all items that, in the event of not being able to reach their destination due to the strike, will not be reimbursed, resulting in economic damage for a multitude of people. The Milan Cortina 2026 website itself informs that 'According to the terms of sale, tickets for the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are neither changeable nor refundable', unless the purchaser at the time of booking has taken out an accessory insurance policy. Precisely for this reason, and while we share the workers' reasons, we believe that in sensitive periods such as the current one, the strikes already called should be postponed, concludes Codacons.

"Trade unions that ignore the Garante's requests and the Ministry's mediation proposals show themselves to be irresponsible and anti-Italian. While the world looks at Milan Cortina 2026 with interest and admiration, to think of blocking air traffic is absurd. It is an affront not only to citizens but also to Olympic and Paralympic athletes. We will respond forcefully, demanding respect for the law and for Italia'. Thus the Vice-Premier and Minister of Transport Matteo Salvini in response to the unions confirming the air transport unrest for 16 February and 7 March.

Frida Karlsson won the gold medal in cross-country skiing in the 10 km free technique at the Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina. The Swede won with a time of 22'49"2 ahead of her compatriot Ebba Andersson (23'35"8) and the American Jessie Diggins (23'38"9). The best Italian Martina Di Centa (24'44"9) came 20th.

Frida Karlsson (REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach)

'Remembering is not a violation,' Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal wrote on X today, commenting on the exclusion of Ukrainian athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych.

"The disqualification of Vladyslav Heraskevych by the IOC is a disgrace," the Ukrainian minister pointed out, adding that "it is a moral surrender masquerading as 'neutrality'. "His helmet bore the faces of 24 Ukrainian athletes killed by Russia. A living memorial. People whose dreams and lives Russia destroyed. The world must not only remember them - it must speak their names aloud. Russia's terror never stops,' the Ukrainian minister noted.

"Sport does not mean indifference and the Olympic movement should help stop wars not pander to the aggressor. Unfortunately, the International Olympic Committee's decision to disqualify Ukrainian skeletonist Vladyslav Heraskevych speaks of something else. This is certainly not in line with the basic principles of the Olympics, which are based on justice and support for peace'. This was stated by Ukrainian President Zelensky on Telegram.

'I was counting on it'. This is how the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, descended on the Super-G slope to congratulate Federica Brignone, winner of the Olympic gold medal. The Head of State hugged the athlete and then indulged in a photo together with Brignone, the President of the Olympic Committee, the Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi, next to him also Mrs Laura and the entire team of managers accompanying our athletes to Milan-Cortina. Returning then to sit in the stands Mattarella received appreciation from the spectators of the race, many shouted 'thank you, great President, bravo President, hurray'.

"I didn't think I could win, it's incredible. Maybe I did it today because I didn't miss the Olympic gold". These were Federica Brignone's first words to the TV on the Tofane slope after winning gold in the Super-G in Milan Cortona 2026.

Federica Brignone pulled off an astonishing feat by winning gold in the women's super-G in Alpine skiing, coming back from an injury that could have jeopardised her career.

Known as the 'Tiger' for her fierce determination, the 35-year-old champion seemed to be in doubt for the Games after her accident last April, but she managed to recover her form and achieved one of her best runs on the misty Olimpia slope of the Tofane.

France's Romane Miradoli took silver, 0.41 seconds behind, while Austria's Cornelia Huetter was third.

Sixth at the start, Brignone threw caution to the wind on a challenging course that was perfectly suited to her technical abilities. proving too strong for her rivals, including American downhill champion Breezy Johnson, who went off the track after a high-speed fall.

Ten of the first 24 starters failed to cross the finish line, including Brignone's teammate Sofia Goggia.

Federica, the World Cup champion, had to fight against time to participate in her home Olympics, after an accident at the national championships caused multiple fractures in her legs and a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

She only returned to the World Cup at the end of January and entered the starting list for the downhill, finishing tenth. Her gold medal was the first by an Italian alpine skier at the Milan-Cortina Games and completes her palmarès after silver at the Beijing 2022 Games and bronze at PyeongChang 2018, both in giant slalom.

Federica Brignone in azione durante il Super G femminile REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

Further reading

Brignone a record-breaking, 10 million winning season

03 April 2025

"Honour to Federica, who did not have an easy approach to these Games despite the fact that we all knew she could do well because this Super-G was always in her heart. I think it is great for Italia that an Italian wins in Cortina," said Sofia Goggia at the end of the Olympic Super-G.

He added: "I skied very strongly today, I honestly didn't expect to be seven tenths in front until there, but races must be taken all the way after the finish line. It's as if I didn't participate. "I skied as well as I know how, I definitely knew that I had to be careful between the Big Bend and the passage on the Scarpadon, the risk was to go too far to the left and then not be able to catch the rope anymore. Maybe I should have braked more, but it was a fast part. I had a slightly tighter line and I couldn't take the rope any more.

"This is incredible, I am still excited and I still have the adrenaline running through my veins". This is how Federica Brignone comments warmly to the microphones of RaiSport, on her provisional first place at the Super G in Cortina. "Today I was very calm, I wanted to ski fluid and soft and do it all, it was a Super G to be trusted - she concludes - I didn't try to do the perfect line but to make the turns as fast as possible".

Federica Brignone is first in the women's SuperG at the Games in Milan Cortina. When 15 athletes have gone down, the Italian champion with 1:23.41 is in the lead: still to go down among the others, the American Olympian Breezy Johnson.

The president of the IOC, Kirsty Coventry, "was really very touched by what happened, she tried her best to try to explain the IOC guidelines to the athlete and we have, as I said, consulted the international federations, the various national Olympic commissions and the athletes, the guidelines were drawn up by all these people, by a team of people and therefore everyone must respect them". This was said by IOC communications director Mark Adams during the daily press point on the Games in Milan Cortina, speaking about the case of Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladylsav Heraskevych, who was disqualified for wearing a helmet that paid tribute to his compatriot athletes who were victims of the Russian invasion. Coventry and Heraskevych had a meeting this morning in Cortina

"If we allowed all athletes to express any expression of disappointment or pain this would lead to chaos, so we gave the Ukrainian athlete the opportunity to show this helmet, he wore it during training as well, we gave him the opportunity to do so, but this time in the competition this morning he decided not to back down," Adams added. "This morning's meeting between the IOC president and the Ukrainian athlete was respectful, also very touching, and certainly both of them will treasure it forever, but we had to stick to the decision we had made," Adams reiterated.

The disqualification of Ukrainian skeletonist Vladyslav Heraskevych from the Winter Olympics for wearing a helmet in honour of murdered Ukrainian athletes will go down in history as a 'moment of shame' for the International Olympic Committee. This was written on X by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga in a social media post. "The IOC did not disqualify the Ukrainian athlete, but its own reputation. Future generations will remember this episode as a moment of shame," he says on X.

"I think we have to continue to fight for our rights. I have said from day one that I don't agree with what the IOC is telling us, so we will probably appeal to Tas and defend our rights." This was stated by Vladylsav Heraskevych, the Ukrainian skeleton athlete disqualified for refusing to change his helmet with the faces of compatriot athletes killed in the war. "Other athletes were already expressing themselves, and did not have to face the same things. So suddenly, only one Ukrainian athlete in these Olympics will be disqualified for this helmet, which does not violate any rules."

È stato squalificato l’atleta ucraino dello skeleton Vladislav Heraskevych, che alle Olimpiadi di Milano Cortina 2026 ha insistito per indossare un casco per rendere omaggio alle vittime dell’invasione russa su vasta scala dell’Ucraina. Lo ha detto un portavoce del Comitato olimpico ucraino all’agenzia Afp. Il Comitato Olimpico Internazionale aveva offerto a Heraskevych la possibilità di gareggiare indossando una fascia nera al braccio.