The National Olympic Committee announced the details of the UAE's historic first participation in the 26th Winter Olympic Games, to be held in the Italian cities of Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo from February 6 to 22. Around 2,900 athletes from various countries will compete for 114 medal sets across 8 sports and 16 disciplines. The UAE will be represented in this edition by athlete Bira Hudson and athlete Alexander Stregge, who qualified according to international standards and will compete in alpine skiing over 3 days as part of the official tournament program. This was announced during a press conference held today in Dubai by the National Olympic Committee. The opening ceremony will take place simultaneously in 4 locations, where Alexander Stregge will raise the UAE flag in Milan and Bira Hudson in Cortina. Ahmed Al-Tayeb stated that this participation marks a historic milestone in the journey of the UAE's Olympic movement, extending the nation's participation in the Summer Olympics and the Youth Olympic Games. He also highlighted that the continuous support from the leadership has solidified the UAE's position on the international sports stage. Hamel Al-Qabisi affirmed that the UAE's debut at the 2026 Winter Olympics represents a qualitative step reflecting the development of Emirati sports and its ability to compete in various athletic environments. He added that the federation has continued to work on the technical preparation of athletes and the organization of their international participation in cooperation with international federations, as well as developing strategies to ensure the athletes' readiness.
