Abhijit Bhattacharya named Global Winner of the 2025 IOC Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champions Awards
Abhijit Bhattacharya, a former captain of the Indian men’s national volleyball team, has been named the Global Winner of the 2025 International Olympic Committee (IOC) Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) Champions Award for his impactful grassroots initiatives in rural India, ensuring equal access and visibility for girls and boys in sport.
Alongside the global award, five continental winners have also been recognised:
Africa: Racheal Kundananji, Zambia
Americas: Mónica Elvira Franco Luzcando, Panama
Asia: Kim Yeon-koung OLY, South Korea
Europe: Michele Kang, France
Oceania: Robyn Cockburn, New Zealand
Today, 6 March 2026, is the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics, one of the most important sporting events dedicated to athletes with disabilities. The opening ceremony will be held in the historic Arena di Verona, where the show that will officially kick off the Games will begin at 8 p.m.
During the evening, the delegations of the participating countries will parade and the Paralympic flame will be symbolically lit. The show, entitled “Life in Motion”, combines music, art and entertainment to celebrate the values of sport and inclusion.
The Paralympics will take place from 6 to 15 March 2026 in various locations in northern Italy, including Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. Approximately 665 athletes from over 50 countries will participate, competing in 79 events in disciplines such as Paralympic alpine skiing, snowboarding, biathlon and para ice hockey.
This event is not only a major sporting competition, but also an important opportunity to promote inclusion, courage and determination, which are fundamental values of the Paralympic movement.
From 4 to 7 June 2026, the charming city of Ghent will host the 23rd International Congress, the 52nd Ordinary and Extraordinary General Assembly and the Panathlon International Jacques Rogge Award ceremony.
This is a major event for the Panathletic movement, which will bring together delegates and representatives from numerous countries to celebrate 75 years of Panathlon International and discuss issues relating to sport, ethics and sporting culture.
The proceedings will take place at the Scala Event Centre, a modern conference facility that is easily accessible and equipped with affiliated hotels.
The International Congress will open on the afternoon of Thursday 4 June with the first session and will continue the morning of 5 June. In the afternoon participants will move to Ghent City Hall for the institutional reception and the Jacques Rogge Award ceremony, followed by a dinner in the historic city centre.
Saturday 6 June will be dedicated to the 52nd Ordinary and Extraordinary General Assembly of Panathlon International with proposals to amend the PI Statute. If necessary, the Extraordinary Assembly may continue Sunday 7 June.
The day will conclude with the Communication Award, celebrations for the 75th Anniversary of PI and the Gala Dinner.
Links for reservations and further details will be announced shortly.
The event promises to be an important moment of gathering and celebration for the international Panathletic community. We look forward to seeing you there!
Save the Date!
4th - 5th June 2026
Ghent (Belgium)
XXIII Panathlon International Congress
“Panathlon International: 75 Years Inspiring Unity Through Sport”
Fair Play Awards return to Italy for Milano Cortina 2026, 62 years after first honour
With Milano Cortina 2026, the Fair Play Awards will spotlight standout acts of sportsmanship, integrity and solidarity from the Olympic Winter Games. Here’s how to submit your vote.
Read the article and vote!
Votes can be submitted via this dedicated link:
ColleMar-athon, in collaboration with Panathlon International, presents the International Marathon and Half Marathon Championships as part of the 22nd ColleMar-athon, which will be held on 3 May 2026.
Click on the link to visit the website.
https://www.collemar-athon.com/
MILAN, 12 February 2026 - How can we manage the delicate relationship between artificial intelligence, ethics and the Olympic movement? How can we use technology responsibly, maintaining a firm commitment to Olympic values while exploiting AI in research, training and innovation in sport?
These are the questions at the heart of the International Symposium "Olympic Values and Artificial Intelligence", hosted at Palazzo Lombardia on the occasion of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The event was promoted by Panathlon International together with the International Society of Olympic Historians, the International Pierre de Coubertin Committee and the International Fair Play Committee, organisations committed to spreading Olympic culture and its founding principles.
Gary Rhodes (California State University, Dominguez Hills) moderated the proceedings, which were divided into three thematic panels:
• Sparks of Olympism: 'lighting up the future with Coubertin, artificial intelligence and education in Olympic values'
• Ethical and responsible artificial intelligence
• Preserving the past, enhancing the future: artificial intelligence and the public dissemination of Olympic heritage
International experts shared strategic visions and best practices, with valuable contributions from the heads of the IOC's AI Department and Ethics and Compliance Division, giving rise to a concrete and qualified discussion between technological innovation and institutional responsibility.
The human element remains central
One concept ran through all the presentations: AI should not replace athletes, but rather amplify fairness, inclusion and personalisation.
Even in popular sports such as football, the most realistic model remains a hybrid one: human referees supported by intelligent systems, capable of ensuring objectivity without sacrificing the excitement and unpredictability of the game.
Olympism is a timeless educational vision, while technology is a temporary tool that must be guided responsibly.
The challenge for our generation, it was emphasised in closing, is to ensure that Excellence, Friendship and Respect remain the compass that guides innovation.
"AI in sport does not replace the athlete, but amplifies fairness, inclusion and personalisation, always keeping the human element at the centre."
For Milano Cortina 2026, the message is clear: the future of sport will be intelligent, but it must remain deeply human.
The event was included as part of the cultural initiatives of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation.
Panathlon International continues its strong commitment to the Erasmus+ project "MindFit VR: Immersive Sports for Mental Well-being", a project funded by the European Union and aimed at promoting the mental well-being of young people in sport.
The project is coordinated by the Budapest Association for International Sport (BAIS) (Hungary), in collaboration with Deneyimsel Eğitim Merkezi Derneği (DeM) (Turkey) and Panathlon International, reflecting a strong framework of international cooperation.
On 13 February 2026, an important online focus group was held, bringing together Panathletes and sports stakeholders from various European countries. The meeting, moderated by Fabio Figueiras, was a valuable opportunity to gather experiences and reflections on the challenges young athletes face today, including pressure to perform, social and family expectations, and the increasingly significant impact of social media. Simona Callo, Secretary General, spoke at the meeting, and Monica Rossi participated on behalf of the General Secretariat, confirming the institutional attention and support for the project.
The difficulty of balancing sport, school and private life also emerged strongly, elements that make greater emotional support essential. In this context, MindFit VR is an innovative tool that can complement the central role of coaches and families through immersive technologies that help young people develop emotional awareness, resilience and self-confidence. The aim is to create a simple, accessible and multilingual toolkit that can be integrated into everyday sporting life.
This collaboration is also an important sign of Panathlon International's ability to operate in international networks, actively participating in European projects alongside a wide range of different sports organisations. This commitment strengthens the Association's role as an authoritative partner in international programmes and as a promoter of shared best practices.
Heartfelt thanks to the protagonists who contributed to the success of the focus group:
• Barbara Rossi (Panathlon Club of Pesaro, IT)
• Juliane Robra (Panathlon Club of Geneva, CH)
• Teresa Rocha (Panathlon Club of Lisbon, PT)
• Otto Frühbauer (Panathlon Club of Kärnten, AT)
• Lore Vanden Berghe (Panathlon Belgium, BE)
Their contribution represents a significant step towards a more people-oriented sport, strengthening the educational role of sport and supporting the mental wellbeing of the younger generation.
#PanathlonInternational #ErasmusPlus #MindFitVR #Sport #MentalWellbeing #YoungPeople #Panathlon #DigitalWellbeing #MentalHealthInSport
Milan, 12 February 2026 – The Joint International Symposium on ‘Olympic Values and Artificial Intelligence’ opened this morning at Palazzo Lombardia, scheduled to run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The event brings together experts and representatives from institutions, academia and the world of sport to explore the relationship between sport, ethics and technological innovation.
The debate will focus on the role of artificial intelligence in the future of sport, including new opportunities, regulatory challenges and the protection of Olympic values. The symposium aims to provide an opportunity for international discussion in view of the transformations that will affect the sector in the coming years.
Attilio Fontana - President of the Lombardy Region
Federica Picchi - Undersecretary for Sport, Lombardy Region
Sunil Sabharwal - President of the International Fair Play Committee CIFP
Pierre Zappelli - Past President of Panathlon International
Alejandro Merino - Madrid - Head of AI Technology and Information Department (IOC)
Giuseppe Deleonardis - Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer at the International Olympic Committee
Hilla Davidov, Professional in sports education and Olympic values programmes
Stephan Wassong - President of Coubertin CIPC
Gary Rhodes - Professor at the College of Education at California State University
Emanuele Frontoni - Professor in Computer Science, University of Macerata, and Co-Director of the VRAI Lab
Bianca Gama Pena - Project Manager and Researcher at the State University of Rio de Janeiro
Pierre Zappelli - Former President of Panathlon International
Christian Wacker, President of ISOH
Sabine Haller-Neumann, IOC
Representatives of the four international organisations ISOH, CIPC, CIFP and PI
On the occasion of the upcoming Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, Panathlon International is pleased to present, on the official opening day of the Games, a video that uses powerful images to interpret Olympic values as a universal language of inclusion, respect and passion for sport.
This contribution comes from the heart of the Panathletic movement, in the hope that it will serve as an evocative backdrop to certain competitions, ideally accompanying athletes and the public during the most intense and emotional moments of the events.
We therefore invite you to ensure the widest possible dissemination of this video, so that its message can reach and engage the entire community.
We extend our sincere thanks to the president of the Panathlon Club Perugia, Luca Ginetto, for his valuable support.
#MilanoCortina2026 #Olympics #Paralympics
