Sergio Mattarella, President of the Italian Republic, met Italian athletes heading for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games at the Quirinal Palace. Team coaches and managers also participated in the ceremony, led by CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio and Italian Paralympic Committee President Marco Giunio De Sanctis, alongside Minister for Sport and Youth Andrea Abodi. The event, opened with the national anthem performed by a string quartet from the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, was the traditional institutional farewell just before the Games.During the ceremony, Mattarella handed the Italian flag to the flag-bearers of the Olympic team: Arianna Fontana, Federico Pellegrino, Amos Mosaner, and Federica Brignone, as well as to the Paralympic flag-bearers René De Silvestro and Chiara Mazzel. In his remarks, the President of the Italian Republic stressed the importance of this edition, remembering that the Olympics and Paralympics are not only a significant sporting event, but also an international showcase for Italy. Mattarella stressed the significance of sport-related principles such as respect, trust, solidarity, and friendship, recalling the Games' role as a message of peace in a difficult historical period. A significant part of his speech was dedicated to Paralympic sport and its social impact as a tool for inclusion and civil growth. Finally, the President expressed his faith in the Italian athletes, wishing them athletic success and new friendships, as well as confirming the entire country's support for a team that will bring Italy to the forefront of world attention during Milan-Cortina 2026.