VIDEO SHOWS: HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 145TH INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) SESSION IN MILAN, ITALY / SOUNDBITES FROM IOC PRESIDENT, KIRSTY COVENTRY, AND ITALIAN PRESIDENT, SERGIO MATTARELLA RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: MILAN, ITALY (FEBRUARY 2, 2026) (IOC – See restrictions before use) 1. ITALIAN PRESIDENT, SERGIO MATTARELLA, TAKING HIS PLACE IN AUDIENCE, ATTENDEES APPLAUDING 2. CONDUCTOR AND ORCHESTRA 3. FORMER ITALIAN OLYMPIC SWIMMER, MASSIMILIANO ROSOLINO, AND FORMER BRITISH OLYMPIC SPRINTER, JEANETTE KWAKYE, HOSTING THE CEREMONY 4. ATTENDEES IN HALL 5. MATTARELLA IN AUDIENCE 6. ROSOLINO AND KWAKYE INTRODUCING THE OLYMPIC ANTHEM 7. VARIOUS OF ORCHESTRA PLAYING THE OLYMPIC ANTHEM 8. MATTARELLA APPLAUDING 9. AUDIENCE APPLAUDING AS IOC PRESIDENT, KIRSTY COVENTRY, TAKES THE STAGE 10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC PRESIDENT, KIRSTY COVENTRY, SAYING: "Over the past few days, we have seen the excitement building everywhere, and today we got to spend some time in the Olympic Village. The athletes cannot wait; they are so excited. The first athletes are moving into the villages across Italy, and they have a special sparkle in their eye. You can feel the anticipation, but you can feel the excitement even more. Everyone you meet cannot wait for these games to begin. There is definitely an Olympic vibe building in the streets of Milano, in Cortina, and in all the host regions – and more specifically, in the hearts of people across the country. So on behalf of the athletes and the entire Olympic community, I want to express my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to you all. Thank you, President Mattarella, and the government of Italy, and all of the regional authorities, mayors, and host communities. You are all essential to making these games unforgettable." 11. AUDIENCE APPLAUDING 12. MATTARELLA APPLAUDING 13. AUDIENCE APPLAUDING 14. VARIOUS OF MATTARELLA WALKING ON STAGE 15. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN PRESIDENT, SERGIO MATTARELLA, SAYING: "I declare open the 145th Session of the International Olympic Committee." 16. AUDIENCE APPLAUDING 17. VARIOUS OF ORCHESTRA PLAYING STORY: The preparations for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics will prove unforgettable for athletes and spectators, International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry said on Monday as the 145th IOC Session got underway in northern Italy. Speaking at Milan's Teatro alla Scala four days before the start of the Olympics, Coventry, who took over as president in June 2025, said the Games were ready to begin and that people all over the country were excited for them to get underway. Italian President Sergio Mattarella took to the stage to officially declare the 145th IOC Session open. Organisers have been racing against the clock to complete several venues that had been on an extremely tight deadline since the start of preparations for the Games. Those venues included the Cortina d'Ampezzo sliding centre, which had to be built from scratch, and the Santagiulia ice hockey venue in Milan. Days ago it was revealed that a cable car intended to carry spectators to the women's Olympic Alpine skiing in Cortina would not be ready on time. Coventry said despite any hiccups in the preparations, Milan and Italy were ready to deliver. It is the first time in 20 years — since the 2006 Torino Olympics — that the Winter Games return to the European Alps. The Olympics will kick off with an opening ceremony at the San Siro stadium on February 6. The Games run to February 22. (Production: Ben Dangerfield)
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