One year to go: Chef de Mission Phil Smith on Milano Cortina 2026!

Today marks one year to go until the Paralympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina and I couldn’t be more excited to see what the ParalympicsGB team can do in Italy in March next year. This will be my ninth Paralympic Games with the team, and my second as Chef de Mission following the Winter Games in Beijing three years ago.

The Games in Beijing were extraordinary – having to deal with the Covid restrictions and daily testing as well as the fallout of the Russian invasion of Ukraine which led to Russian and Belarussian athletes being unable to compete in the Games. I learned an awful lot about leadership, resilience and managing unexpected challenges; most of all it reiterated to me the need to minimise distractions for the athletes and their support staff and that remains my number one priority as Chef – to create an environment where our team can thrive.

It’s easy to say we’re not a nation with a rich history in winter sport but recently we’ve started to change that perception and have set down a marker that we are a force to be reckoned with on ice and snow. The team have had unprecedented success since Sochi 2014 winning 19 medals at the last three Games and I know that the class of 2026 will be desperate to continue that next year. Compared to our summer Games cohort we are a smaller team but no less competitive, a fact underlined by all of the sports we are likely to take to the Games having won World Championship medals this cycle. So whilst winter sport remains difficult to predict, we’re confident that we will take a fiercely competitive team to Italy next year, blending the perfect mix of experienced Paralympians and exciting debutants.

As a ParalympicsGB staff team we’ve spent lots of time on the ground in Italy over the last three years, building relationships with the Organising Committee and ensuring we have every base covered in our preparations so that the athletes and their support staff will have everything they need when it comes to the Games. ParalympicsGB is likely to have athletes in Cortina (Para alpine skiing, Para snowboard and Wheelchair curling) and Predazzo (Para biathlon and Para cross-country skiing) and we’re excited to build world-class environments that support the ambitions of our incredible athletes. The Games venues are going to be incredible – for the first time in a long time they’re all pre-existing venues with a history steeped in hosting winter sports. Cortina was a proud host of the 1956 Olympic Winter Games and it will be incredible to see our athletes bring Paralympic sports to these iconic venues for the first time next year.

My next visit to Italy will be for the Chefs de Mission Seminar at the end of the month when the Organising Committee of the Games will share their latest plans and show off those incredible venues - a crucial milestone in our planning.

Having another Games on European soil so soon after Paris is exciting for a number of reasons. This is the first easy to get to Winter Games for a generation and we’re hoping family, friends and ParalympicsGB supporters will join us in Italy. We’d love to see as many Union Flags as possible in the stands supporting our incredible athletes so make sure you get your hands on tickets now https://tickets.milanocortina2026.org/en/

My team will be making sure there is no stone left unturned in our preparations to ensure every ParalympicsGB athlete and team member has the best opportunity to go out and perform at the Games. I can’t wait to see the team grow over the next 12 months and build towards what will be another incredible Paralympic Winter Games.

Whether you are supporting from home or travelling to Italy we will be doing all we can to inspire the nation once again!