Wishing good luck to Team Ireland at Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games
- Targeted financial commitment of €200,000 helps team chase Olympic dream
Today the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport and Sport Ireland wish good luck to the Olympic Federation of Ireland and the Irish team as it prepares for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games taking place in Italy.
Over the past three years, Team Ireland winter athletes and National Federations have benefited from a targeted financial commitment of €200,000 from the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport and administered through Sport Ireland.
Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O'Donovan said: “I extend my very best wishes to every member of Team Ireland who is attending Milano Cortina 2026. Above all, I hope their Olympic experience will be both enjoyable and lasting, leaving them with cherished memories. In qualifying for the Games and representing Ireland, our athletes serve as an inspiration to the entire nation.”
The €200,000 in funding boost was confirmed in 2023 following the launch of Team Ireland’s Winter Strategy, which set out a clear ambition to increase high-performance investment and strengthen Ireland’s pathway for winter athletes competing on the Olympic stage.
Minister of State with special responsibility for Sport & Postal Policy Charlie McConalogue said: “The team has already demonstrated their fine ability during the qualification process, and I commend them for their dedication. I wish to extend my very best wishes to every member of the team for their Olympic experience. I am confident they will represent themselves and Ireland with distinction in Italy.”
Under the agreement, Sport Ireland committed €200,000 in additional funding between 2023 and 2026, provided outside of any funding allocated directly to National Federations. The funding is administered through the Olympic Federation of Ireland and overseen by the Winter Strategy Coordination Group (WSCG).
Ireland will be represented at the games by cross-country skier Thomas Maloney Westgaard, Anabelle Zurbay, who will compete in slalom and giant slalom events, Cormac Comerford, who will represent his country in the downhill, giant slalom run and Super G disciplines, and Ben Lynch in the freestyle skiing halfpipe event.
John Foley, Chairperson of Sport Ireland, said: “The programme, made possible by the generous support of the Government, allows us to provide targeted funding to National Federations for Olympic-focused projects and programmes, and to deliver direct support to high-performance athletes targeting qualification for Milano Cortina 2026.”
Dr Úna May, CEO of Sport Ireland, added: “Sport Ireland recognises the value of Winter Sports to the Olympic movement. We’re delighted to wish the OFI and all the athletes well. The OFI remains a key partner in the development of high performance sport in Ireland. Olympic sports, and the Winter Strategy provided a clear framework to strengthen our approach to winter performance. This additional funding was designed to be flexible, targeted, and athlete-centred, ensuring it could make a genuine difference to qualification efforts and performance preparation ahead of Milano Cortina.”
The funding has been used to directly assist athletes with qualification-related costs, to support the winter performance coach programme, and to contribute towards the purchase of essential equipment.
Peter Sherrard, CEO of the Olympic Federation of Ireland, said: “Winter athletes face unique challenges in pursuing Olympic qualification, and this targeted €200,000 commitment from Sport Ireland represents a meaningful and practical investment in their ambitions. The Winter Strategy was about creating momentum and structure, and this funding has delivered real, tangible support to athletes and programmes as they work towards Milano Cortina 2026.”
Nancy Chillingworth, Chef de Mission for Team Ireland at Milano Cortina 2026, said: “The support provided through the Sport Ireland Institute is a vital part of our Games preparation. Having experienced practitioners embedded within the Team Ireland environment allows athletes to focus fully on performance, confident that their medical and physical preparation is being managed to the highest standard.”
For clarity, this programme is separate from Olympic Solidarity funding and does not include direct athlete or coach funding provided by the OFI during the cycle. It is also distinct from International Carding, which is currently unavailable to winter athletes. The €200,000 investment was allocated across two instalments, based on applications submitted for defined two-year periods.
In addition to financial support, Sport Ireland continues to underpin Team Ireland’s Olympic preparations through its partnership with the Sport Ireland Institute, which provides critical Games-time services. The Team Ireland support team for Milano Cortina 2026 includes physiotherapist Ciara McCallion and Dr Frank O’Leary, ensuring athletes have access to world-class medical and performance expertise.
As Team Ireland continues its build-up to Milano Cortina 2026, the combination of targeted financial investment, strategic coordination and high-quality performance services remains central to supporting Irish winter athletes on the Olympic stage.
Winter sports in Ireland are represented by six National Federations, each recognised by their International Federation, and all members of the Olympic Federation of Ireland. They include the Irish Ice Hockey Association, the Irish Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association, the Irish Curling Association, the Ice-Skating Association of Ireland, the Irish Luge Federation, and the Snowsports Association of Ireland.
Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games
Team Ireland Schedule
February 6th: Opening Ceremony – Milano (Irish in the Livigno, Cortina and Predazzo clusters)
February 7th: Cormac Comerford – Downhill (Alpine Skiing), Bormio
February 8th: Thomas Maloney Westgaard – 10km + 10km Skiathlon (Cross Country), Predazzo
February 11th: Cormac Comerford – Super-G (Alpine Skiing), Bormio
February 13th: Thomas Maloney Westgaard – 10km Free (Cross Country), Predazzo
February 14th: Cormac Comerford – Giant Slalom Run 1 & 2 (Alpine Skiing), Bormio
February 15th: Anabelle Zurbay – Giant Slalom Run 1 & 2 (Alpine Skiing), Cortina
February 16th: Cormac Comerford – Slalom Run 1 & 2 (Alpine Skiing), Bormio
February 18th: Anabelle Zurbay – Slalom Run 1 & 2 (Alpine Skiing), Cortina
February 19th: Ben Lynch – Halfpipe Qualification (Freestyle Skiing), Livigno
February 20th: Ben Lynch – Halfpipe Final (Freestyle Skiing), Livigno
February 21st: Thomas Maloney Westgaard – 50km Classic (Cross Country), Predazzo
February 22nd: Closing Ceremony – Verona (All athletes)