Lead
International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry told reporters in Milan on Feb. 1, 2026, that newly publicized ICE deployments and released Jeffrey Epstein files are a “sad” diversion from the Milan Cortina Winter Games, which open Feb. 6. Coventry said the IOC will not weigh in on law-enforcement or legal matters but acknowledged the stories are drawing attention away from athletes and the competition. Her comments came amid street protests in Milan over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents assigned to Games security and the release of 2003 emails that reference prominent U.S. organizers.
Key Takeaways
- The Milan Cortina Winter Games run Feb. 6–22, 2026; the opening ceremony is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 6.
- IOC president Kirsty Coventry, elected just over 10 months ago and the IOC’s first female president, called the ICE and Epstein-related coverage “sad” because it distracts from the Games.
- Hundreds of demonstrators protested in Milan on Saturday against the deployment of U.S. ICE agents to the event; IOC says agents will be in a control room, not patrolling streets.
- Newly released government files include 2003 emails between Casey Wasserman, head of the Los Angeles 2028 organizing committee, and Ghislaine Maxwell; Epstein died in August 2019 after indictment.
- Two IOC members—Richard Carrión and Johan Eliasch—are named in the documents; reports say there is no suggestion either committed wrongdoing.
- U.S. Vice President JD Vance will lead the American delegation and attend the opening ceremony on Friday.
Background
The Milan Cortina Games arrive amid heightened scrutiny of major international events and the organizations that run them. Pre-Games controversies have become a recurring feature of Olympic build-ups: public-health concerns such as Zika in 2016 and COVID-19 in 2020 shifted attention away from sport, and organizers have had to respond while protecting athletes’ preparation.
The current controversy blends security policy and decades-old criminal investigations. ICE’s planned presence touches on national-security cooperation between the United States and Italian authorities for large international gatherings, while the newly released Epstein files revive public questions about past associations involving high-profile figures tied to future host cities.
Main Event
At a Milan news conference on Feb. 1, 2026, Coventry repeatedly declined to treat either the ICE deployment or the Epstein documents as matters for the IOC to resolve. She said the committee’s role is to stage the Games and that questions about law enforcement or criminal allegations fall outside its mandate.
Coventry told reporters she found it unfortunate that such stories divert attention from athletes and the spectacle of competition, noting that similar distractions have occurred in previous Olympic cycles. She emphasized the IOC’s focus on delivering the event and said that once competition begins, global attention typically returns to sport and athlete performances.
Protesters gathered in Milan on the weekend before the opening ceremony to object to ICE agents’ involvement. Organizers of the demonstrations said they were acting in response to public notices about U.S. security personnel being present in a control-room capacity; authorities maintain the agents will not have street-level enforcement roles.
Separately, the release of government documents included 2003 email exchanges linking Casey Wasserman and Ghislaine Maxwell. Coventry said Wasserman has issued a statement and that the IOC had no further comment. Two IOC members—Richard Carrión and Johan Eliasch—were named in the materials, and Coventry said the committee was monitoring media reports and gathering intel before taking any action.
Analysis & Implications
The immediate implication is reputational: high-profile pre-Games coverage that focuses on security or past scandals can siphon media attention from athletes and sponsors. For Milan Cortina, organizers must manage optics to reassure athletes, broadcasters and commercial partners that operational plans remain on track for Feb. 6.
Security arrangements that involve foreign law-enforcement personnel—especially U.S. agencies—carry political weight. Even if ICE staff are confined to a control room, demonstrators and some local officials may portray their presence as an intrusion, forcing host-city authorities to balance cooperative security planning with local sensitivities.
The Epstein-related documents raise questions for organizers and governance bodies because past contacts, even if not unlawful, can create perception risks for individuals and institutions tied to the Games. The IOC faces a choices: investigate named members, rely on public records and partner agencies, or defer to legal authorities where warranted. Each path carries governance and public-relations trade-offs.
Longer-term, recurring pre-Games controversies could prompt the IOC and hosts to develop more proactive communications and transparency measures. Reinforced protocols around external security partnerships and clearer public disclosures about roles and limitations of foreign personnel may reduce friction in future events, including the Los Angeles Games two years from now.
Comparison & Data
| Year | Pre-Games Issue | Primary Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Zika virus concerns (Rio) | Medical uncertainty; athlete withdrawals and public debate |
| 2020 | COVID-19 pandemic (Tokyo) | Event postponement to 2021; no spectators; major logistical overhaul |
| 2026 | Security/ICE presence & Epstein files (Milan Cortina) | Protests and reputational distraction; monitoring by IOC and partners |
The table compares three recent pre-Games disruptions. While Zika and COVID produced concrete operational effects—withdrawals and postponement—the 2026 issue is mainly reputational so far, centered on security optics and historical documents. That distinction affects what remedies are feasible: operational changes for health crises versus communications and governance responses for perception-based controversies.
Reactions & Quotes
IOC leadership framed the matter as outside its remit and urged focus on the athletes and competition.
I think anything that is distracting from these Games is sad.
Kirsty Coventry, IOC president
On the specifics of security details, Coventry stressed clarification from U.S. and Italian authorities and limited IOC comment on law-enforcement deployments.
From all the information that we have … that’s not for us to further comment on that part of the security.
Kirsty Coventry, IOC president
Unconfirmed
- No public evidence has established wrongdoing by IOC members Richard Carrión or Johan Eliasch; their mention in released files is not proof of misconduct.
- Details about the scope and duties of ICE personnel at Milan Cortina—beyond being described as stationed in a control room—have not been fully disclosed in public reports.
- The extent and context of the 2003 email exchanges between Casey Wasserman and Ghislaine Maxwell beyond what appears in released documents remain incomplete pending review.
Bottom Line
The IOC is treating ICE deployment and the newly public Epstein-related documents as distractions from the core work of staging the Milan Cortina Winter Games, and Coventry is urging focus on athletes and competition. Operationally, organizers appear to be maintaining the scheduled Feb. 6–22 program while monitoring media coverage and coordinating with law-enforcement partners.
Reputational risks persist: host authorities and the IOC will need transparent, prompt communications about security roles and any follow-up to reports naming individuals. How effectively they manage optics in the next days will shape public attention; if competition captures the global audience as Coventry expects, the immediate controversy may fade, but governance questions raised by the documents could linger into the lead-up to Los Angeles 2028.