Milano-Cortina 2026 Unveils Innovative Medals Celebrating Unity and Athlete Journeys

As the countdown to the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Italy accelerates, organisers unveiled the official medals on July 15 in a ceremony held at Venice’s historic Palazzo Balbi. 

The Milano-Cortina 2026 medals stand out not only for their elegant design but also for the powerful symbolism embedded in their very structure, a tribute to athletes’ dedication and the communities supporting them.

Crafted by Italy’s Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato (IPZS), the medals are conceived as two halves fused into a single masterpiece.

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This split design represents multiple layers of meaning:

• Union of Hosts: The medals symbolise the coming together of Milano, Italy’s fashion and business hub, and Cortina d’Ampezzo, a renowned alpine resort, collaborating to host the Games.
• Athlete and Support Network: One-half signifies the athlete’s personal struggle, passion, and triumph. The other reflects the collective effort of coaches, family, medical teams, and fans who contribute to every victory.
• Olympic and Paralympic Values: The polished and textured surfaces embody contrasts, purity and strength, individual perseverance and shared support, unified through Olympic rings on one side and Paralympic Agitos on the other.

Raffaella Paniè, Director of Brand, Identity and Look for Milano-Cortina 2026, said: “We celebrate the power found in diversity: two distinct halves joined through the Olympic and Paralympic symbols to convey a strong and cohesive message.”

A Tribute to Craftsmanship and Sustainability

Beyond the symbolism, the medals showcase masterful craftsmanship combined with eco-conscious production. IPZS, Italy’s official mint and a leader in secure printing and coin production, created the medals using sustainable methods:

• Energy solely sourced from renewables.
• Non-toxic, recyclable protective finishes.
• Combining traditional artisanal approaches with cutting-edge technology.

Paolo Perrone, President of IPZS, commented that medals embody Italian tradition.

“Each medal is the result of centuries-old Italian artistic traditions merged with high innovation, embodying mastery and excellence.”

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The Games will award a total of 1,146 medals, divided equally among gold, silver, and bronze for 116 medal events, the highest ever in Winter Olympic history. Each medal measures 80mm in diameter and 10mm thick, with gold medals weighing approximately 500 grams.

The medals were revealed in a ceremony graced by Italian swimming legend Federica Pellegrini, a 2008 Olympic gold medalist, alongside Paralympic champion Francesca Porcellato, symbolising Italy’s sporting heritage and future.

Special Features for Paralympic Medals

Paralympic medals bear the distinctive Agitos logo on the front and include Braille inscriptions on the reverse side, enabling visually impaired athletes to identify the medal type. The design reflects inclusivity and accessibility, key Paralympic values.

Scheduled to take place from February 6 to 22, 2026, with the Paralympics from March 6 to 15, the Milano-Cortina Games will span various venues across Northern Italy. The Games aim to blend sporting excellence with cultural celebration, emphasising sustainability, innovation, and unity, values embodied perfectly by the medal design.