^{FOTO: olympics.com}

IOC President Kirsty Coventry wished everyone a Happy New Year, announcing an important year ahead with the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games and the Dakar 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games.

Dear Olympic friends,

As we welcome the new year, I want to thank you — the entire Olympic community — for the incredible support and encouragement you have given me during my first months as IOC President. Over these six months I have had the privilege of meeting many of you, listening, learning and feeling the energy that drives our Olympic movement. Your passion and dedication inspire me every day.

There is much to look forward to at the start of this very special Olympic year. In just a few weeks, the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games will bring together the best winter sports athletes in beautiful Italy, a country that lives and breathes passion.

The torch is already travelling through Italy, connecting communities and building excitement for Milan Cortina 2026. These Games will take athletes and fans to places where winter sports are part of everyday life, showcasing existing sports venues and celebrating regions that live and breathe sport. Milan Cortina will be a new kind of Winter Games, where innovation meets tradition, gender equality reaches new heights, and iconic landscapes provide the perfect stage. As the first Games of my presidency, I am determined to make them a success for the athletes, for Italy and for the entire Olympic movement.

Later in the year, all eyes will turn to Africa for the Dakar 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games, the first Olympic event ever on African soil. As a proud African and Olympian, I could not be more excited. These Games will be a historic moment not only for Senegal but for the whole of Africa. They will showcase the energy, creativity and optimism of our continent and inspire young people everywhere to dream big.

Looking ahead, our initiative "Ready for the Future" is already in full swing, including voices from across the Olympic community. Discussions are lively and inspiring, and the ideas emerging will lead to concrete recommendations this summer, setting the course for our Olympic movement. I am delighted by the sense of purpose you all bring to this process. Together we will build an Olympic movement that is strong, united and truly ready for the future.

There is much to look forward to in 2026 and much we can achieve together. I look forward to continuing this journey with all of you and to making this Olympic year one of unity, inspiration and progress for our entire community.

Thank you, and I wish you all a joyful and successful Olympic year ahead.