Belgium is approaching the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Games with limited resources, but not without ambition. The Belgian Interfederal Olympic Committee (BOIC) has sent a record delegation of 30 athletes to Italy. BOIC President Jean-Michel Saive took a break in sunny Milan to discuss the situation with... Francs JeuxThe meeting place was obvious: the Lotto Belgium Pub, the rallying point for supporters, very close to the Arco della Pace, where Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni lit the cauldron.
What are the stakes for Belgium in Milan-Cortina?
We've come here with the largest delegation in our history. That's already a great success, especially considering we're not a country known for its mountains and long days of snow. Nevertheless, we're represented in nine different sports, which demonstrates both quantity and quality. We already have a medal in short track, and we have other possibilities. We're not here just to make up the numbers; we have athletes who can perform well, so it's really fantastic.
Is sending 30 athletes really significant for the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee (BOIC)?
Yes, it's a powerful message to show that the Winter Games also happen every four years, even if the Summer Olympics take precedence in the public consciousness. It's good to be able to demonstrate that even without being a mountainous country, our athletes are also role models. They create a dynamic that inspires new generations, which explains the size of the delegation.
How do you rate the atmosphere and venues of these Games?
These are only my second Winter Games. I've competed in seven Summer Games as an athlete (from Seoul 1988 to London 2012). I experienced things differently in Rio, Tokyo, and of course, Paris. It was fantastic, majestic. The atmosphere, the venues, it was truly extraordinary, and we felt almost at home. It's very different from Beijing, where we were surrounded by astronauts, undergoing daily testing, and going into quarantine. I'm mainly in Milan; we go here to watch all our athletes compete. In speed skating and short track, the stadiums are packed, and the atmosphere is fantastic. What I love, in Beijing as well as here, is learning, watching the athletes. As a sports enthusiast, I love seeing the specifics of each discipline.
Is the public turning out in force here at the Lotto Belgium Pub?
Yes, it's really great. It's the first time we've done this at the Winter Olympics. The Lotto Belgium House was a huge success in Paris; we had 35.000 people. Here, it's a bit different as it's spread out, but we wanted to recreate the wonderful Paris experience, on a smaller scale. It's more understated, but we're very well located, 200 meters from the Olympic flame. We get a lot of Belgian fans as well as international supporters. We're even having to bring in more pins from Belgium because they're so popular. Even the old stock!
Meanwhile, the Belgian public is invited to experience the Games in Middelkerke, where you are organizing the Olympic Festival. What kind of feedback are you receiving?
This is the first time we've held a Winter Olympic Festival. We did it in the summer, also in Middelkerke, and it was a huge success with 55.000 people. Obviously, winter is different; there are only school holidays during the second week. But given the enthusiasm and the size of the delegation, it was great to have a venue with an ice rink where young people and schools could come and try it out, watch the Games on giant screens, and take introductory lessons.
The aim of this event, precisely, is also to develop the culture of winter sports?
Indeed. We can well imagine that the dynamic is different from the Summer Games. In terms of the number of participants or medals, we're far behind Switzerland, France, Sweden, and all those other winter sports nations. We just won our ninth medal. Nevertheless, we're progressing, there's investment, and we can feel that the federations are moving forward.
Can Belgium succeed in becoming a winter sports nation in the future?
We're trying to get there little by little. History isn't made overnight. But we are making progress. We had 22 athletes in Pyeongchang, 19 in Beijing, and 30 here. Two medals in 2022, one so far here. It's good that there's this momentum. It's also our role, with our partners, to try to continue to raise the bar for winter sports.
Perhaps what could help would be for cyclo-cross to be included in the program!
(Laughs.) Belgium isn't going to think it's a bad idea. Obviously, we're quite strong in cyclo-cross, even if Mathieu van der Poel is currently dominating. From an IOC perspective, it's perfectly reasonable to consider evolving the sporting program in light of societal changes, climate change, and the evolution of the planet. Cyclo-cross is a winter sport; it's not practiced in the summer. The IOC will make the final decision, of course, but it would be great for Belgium.
What do you think of the opposing arguments, which fear that the Winter Games will be distorted by including sports that are not necessarily practiced on snow or ice?
It's perfectly normal to have questions and debates. Here in Milan, we're already outside in the sun. Once you leave the ice rink, it doesn't feel as much like winter. Looking ahead, I think it's only right to ask the question. Why shouldn't sports that are truly practiced in winter be included in the Winter Games? The reasoning seems quite logical to me.
