IOC to bolster betting control for 2026 Winter Olympics
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that it will strictly monitor betting patterns during the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, with the aim of preventing any attempts to manipulate results in the various disciplines.
The largest winter multisport event will begin on February 6, 2026, and will extend over 16 days of competition. More than 3,000 athletes from over 90 countries will participate in ice and snow events, including delegations from Latin America.
Operation of the Joint Integrity Unit
The IOC reported that the new Joint Integrity Unit (JIU) will be operational between January 30 and February 24, covering the period before and after the official closing of the Games, scheduled for February 22. This structure was created jointly with the event organizers and Italian authorities to ensure effective cooperation on integrity matters.
The unit will allow for agile information exchange between sports disciplinary bodies and local security forces. According to the IOC’s Director of Ethics and Compliance, Giuseppe Deleonardis, threats to integrity can take multiple forms, from competition manipulation to bribery or unethical conduct by accredited persons.
“If the involvement of criminal elements is detected, we will work alongside Italian authorities, the police, and the judicial system to share all relevant information,” stated Deleonardis, emphasizing the central role of cooperation with security forces.
Betting intelligence and prevention
One of the main focuses of the JIU’s work will be the monitoring of bets through specialized intelligence systems designed to identify irregular patterns and other suspicious activities linked to Olympic competitions. This approach aims to anticipate possible manipulation attempts and act swiftly upon any sign of risk.
The IOC recalled that this type of integrity unit has been systematically implemented since the London 2012 Olympic Games. In previous editions, both summer and winter, no major scandals related to result manipulation were recorded, although there were relevant precedents linked to high-profile doping cases.
With this deployment, the Olympic body aims to preserve the transparency and credibility of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Games, strengthening prevention mechanisms against external threats to sport.
Tags: Italy, 2026 Winter Olympic Games, 2026 Winter Olympics betting, 2026 Olympic Games betting