)
"Congratulations to Milan-Cortina," said Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee. "We can look forward to an outstanding and sustainable Olympic Winter Games in a traditional winter sports country. The passion and knowledge of Italian fans, together with experienced venue operators, will create the perfect atmosphere for the best athletes in the world."
The Italian bid for the Winter Games received 47 votes from the International Olympic Committee, while Sweden received 34. They were the only two countries to offer up a candidacy for the 2026 Games, after Japan, Switzerland, Austria and Canada withdrew their bids due to concerns about cost: the initial projected operating budget was $1.7 billion, a number which is all but guaranteed to go up as the event draws nearer.
Northern Italy was widely expected to be the first choice among committee members: Cortina already hosted the Winter Olypmpics in 1956, and Turin hosted the summer version of the Games in 2006, while Sweden has never hosted.
After the news was announced, the Italian delegation (including snowboarder Michela Moioli, who dabbed after her presentation to the committee alongside skier Sofia Goggia) erupted, and could be heard triumphantly shouting; "Italia! Italia!"
)
)
)