2026 Winter Olympics: Italy foils ‘Russian cyber-attacks’ at Milan-Cortina Games

Italy has foiled “Russian origin” cyber-attacks targeting the Winter Olympics, says Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.

He said websites linked to the Games, hotels in host town Cortina d’Ampezzo and foreign ministry facilities, including an embassy in Washington, were targeted.

Cortina d’Ampezzo, one of five host clusters for the Olympics, will stage alpine skiing, biathlon, curling, and sliding events.

“We prevented a series of cyber-attacks against foreign ministry sites. These are actions of Russian origin,” said Tajani.

The Games officially begin on Friday, although the first action got under way on Wednesday.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino and International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Kirsty Coventry this week raised the possibility of reinstating Russia into international sporting events.

Russia’s national teams and domestic clubs were suspended from all competitions by football governing bodies Fifa and Uefa in February 2022 after the country’s invasion of Ukraine. A similar ban applies to Belarus for its support of Russia.

Both nations are also excluded from the Olympics and Winter Olympics, although athletes can compete as neutrals if they pass an IOC assessment.

Thirteen Russian competitors and seven from Belarus were granted eligibility for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Ukraine Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi called Infantino “irresponsible” and “infantile” for his comments that sanctions had “not achieved anything”.

Although not directly referencing Russia and Belarus, Coventry hinted that they could be reinstated for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, saying sport should be “neutral ground”.