— Published February 15, 2026

Christophe Dubi: "The French Alpine Games will be even better than those of Milan-Cortina."

InterviewMilan-Cortina 2026 Focus

As the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games enter their final stretch, Francs Jeux We spoke with Christophe Dubi. The executive director of the Olympic Games took the time in Milan to draw initial lessons from the 2026 edition and to discuss the prospects for the next one, in the French Alps.

What is your precise role during these Games?

It's essentially about coordination around a central command center. We try to be a collaborative platform for all the stakeholders in the system. The idea is, if possible, to resolve all the issues before the Games so that there are as few as possible during the Games themselves, even if quite a few remain, which is normal. And above all, to ensure that everyone can do their job: the spectators to support them in the stands, the athletes, and the media. It's a coordinating role for this entire, rather vast ecosystem, both geographically and in terms of the number of people involved.

You were very optimistic before the opening. What are your feelings now that these Games are well underway?

There are still quite a few days of competition left, and it has to go just as well! I was confident because in the last press conference before the Games, I knew we didn't have any systemic problems. There were some difficulties here and there, particularly in the mountains at Cortina, but otherwise we didn't have any major issues. That's incredibly important. I was confident, and halfway through the Games, it's exceeding all our expectations, especially because the athletes in the mountains—that was our biggest fear, that they would feel isolated—are telling us that these Games are fantastic.

You have placed the athletes' experience as the number one criterion for determining the success of these Games. Are you receiving this positive feedback at all competition venues?

That's what the NOCs tell us, and that's also what the media reports. It's the main indicator. In Pyeongchang, where the plains and the mountains are very close together, you could go from skiing to ice hockey in an hour. That's not the case here, but we're not the ones driving the Games; the athletes are. They tell us it's working, and the fans love being in the mountains in this warm atmosphere. As long as these two major groups tell us it's working, we don't change a thing.

So, what exactly is the spectator experience like?

What the Italians did so well is what the Parisians also did: create this unique atmosphere, imbued with local pride, because Cortina and Livigno are not the same, they don't share the same music or traditions, but there is this pride in hosting the Games. The spectators feel it. The organizers built upon this, using fairly simple mechanisms, similar to those we had in Paris, but which work: the celebration sites, with the athletes, the big images of the day. Experiencing the Games together, for free. It worked in Paris, and it's still working here. The Arco della Pace is magnificent. It's always crowded; it's somewhat equivalent to what we had in Paris.

This edition is also important for the next one, in the French Alps. What is your perspective on the sensitive situation surrounding the COJOP?

Yes, there are problems, that's life. The Games are so important, they involve so many people. In a position like mine, if you're not prepared to face problems and challenges, you should change jobs. The project is so important that there are always problems. Right now, we have a people problem. We need to distinguish between problems that could impact the project and people problems. There are always people problems. It's unpleasant, we don't like seeing it in the media, it's uncomfortable for all of us, but somehow it will be resolved.

We need to distinguish between what we've done so far, what lies ahead with the major objectives we must achieve, and what we've already accomplished. We met with the coordination committee in December, and there was complete satisfaction. We knew there were still some issues to resolve regarding the organization, the choice of venues, the selection of additional sports, and so on. There are important milestones – the Alps 2030 emblem will be unveiled, I think, in April. It's a lot of work, but I know we'll succeed. There's a great deal of confidence in what we have to do, and in the meantime, I hope that any personal issues will be resolved.

So that doesn't worry you too much?

Do I look worried? We need to separate the facts from interpersonal issues. We must remain focused, as a system that has to deliver the Olympic Games down to the second. This time constraint is very particular. That's the key question: are we capable of delivering? Today, I tell you that we will be. I was with a multitude of people the other day who were talking about the complexity of the Olympic Games. In English, there's an expression that says: “It’s sending a rocket to the moon”It's like sending a rocket into space. I told them it was perhaps less complex than a rocket: when you take each piece of the puzzle, you can understand it. The big difference is that at Cape Canaveral, if you say it's two days later, there's no impact. The Games don't work like that. At 20 p.m. on February 6, there are 500 million live viewers. That constraint is what really has to guide everything we do. It's what has to constrain us, but also reassure us. We've reached the major milestones so far.

Some observers are starting to think that switching the Alps 2030 and Utah 2034 could be a solution.

No, it's not possible. We can't hold the Games in Salt Lake City in 2030; we have the Los Angeles Games. We can't hold two editions of the Games 18 months apart in the same location; it just doesn't work. But above all, we've always been certain that the French bid is incredibly strong. We love the Nice region, Briançon, the Alps. It works! It's a fantastic bid. Not once, not once, did we consider moving on to something else. Never will. Let me tell you something: the French Alpine Games will be even better than the Milan-Cortina Games. Because we're learning things here, we learned from Paris, and we're going to do even better. We have extraordinary people in these regions.

What are the initial lessons you are drawing from Milan-Cortina, specifically with a view to 2030?

Regarding the delivery, we're doing really well. However, the preparations beforehand were very complex. There are pitfalls to avoid in the context of the French Alps. I think they already have an idea for an organizational system that's more decentralized than here, relying more on regional expertise. Managing the Games from Milan, with all the local specificities, isn't simple. That's the first major lesson. Then, the only thing I personally feel is missing is an even stronger connection between the different clusters. It's complicated to do, but, like during the opening ceremony, bringing all the celebration sites together in a television production with athletes perhaps in a medal square would further bridge the gap between the mountains and the plains. It's complicated to implement, but if there's an improvement to be made, it might be this at this stage.