IOC release statement amid JD Vance and USA Winter Olympics treatment | Other | Sport
The vice president led the U.S. delegation and was captured on screen as the U.S. team entered the San Siro. In Italy, cheers for athletes suddenly turned into boos.
IOC spokesman Mark Adams was asked about booing Vance at a news conference on Saturday. He said: “From the IOC’s perspective, with the next Games in Los Angeles, we are extremely happy that the US administration is so engaged and moving forward with the Games here. It’s a great thing for the Olympic movement.”
“We are very much a sports organization and to see the USA team applauded by the crowd, fair play, was great, very happy.
“Generally we like to see fair play at sporting events but this is good news for us in terms of having a good relationship with the management.”
Milan-Cortina 2026 CEO Andrea Varnier avoided any further questions about how Italians view the US administration.
He said: “I was there and when the USA team entered the stadium I heard an incredible cheer, that’s what I heard. I didn’t hear anything else, I just read about it in the newspapers. The chants were amazing.”
The IOC also issued a call for all spectators to demonstrate sportsmanship when asked about their reaction to the booing of Israeli athletes. Adams said: “In terms of athletes and teams, I don’t think we like to see booing, no matter what background, no matter what country, we want to see athlete-like behavior from everyone. “It’s important that we support our athletes.
“The whole idea, or one of the ideas, of the Olympic Movement is that athletes should not be punished no matter what their governments do, and I think that’s really important; it’s very important that we see what athletes and athletic performance say about humanity.
“I know Italian fans love their sport; when they start to see great performances, regardless of nationality, I think they will applaud those performances.”
Vance arrived in Milan on Thursday to meet American athletes and was spotted attending the U.S. women’s ice hockey match against the Czech Republic. The vice president also met with IOC president Kirsty Coventry ahead of the Opening Ceremony.
Adams provided some information about this meeting. “I know it went incredibly well, there was such good chemistry, they argued so well,” he said.
“I know I spoke to the president this morning, he was very pleased.” [with the conversation] “I was very pleased with the interest shown by the President and the entire management in the Games.”
