IOC urges unity and peace after clashes near Milan Winter Olympics site

Описание: (8 Feb 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP AND SNTV CLIENTS MAY USE

ASSOCIATED PRESS -- AP AND SNTV CLIENTS MAY USE
Milan, Italy - 8 February 2026
1. Various of the International Olympic Committee briefing
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Adams, International Olympic Committee spokesperson:
“Protest, peaceful protest, is entirely legitimate in many countries of the world. And we draw a line as we said earlier on at violence. That has no place at the Olympic Games. But I think it’s very much something that’s apart from...I honestly don’t know how many protesters there were and so on, but I think we just need to get on with the Games, which will spread a strong message of unity and peace to the world which I think is very important at this moment in time.”
3. Various of briefing
4. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Luca Casassa, International Olympic Committee spokesperson:
“However, everything must always take place within a framework of respect and positive confrontation. Everything that exceeds this and ends in violence or in demonstrations that are not part of the common dialogue does not belong to this or this world."
5. Wide of briefing
6. Mid of people listening
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Pierre Ducrey, International Olympic Committee sports director:
“In general, if we talk about women and innovation in the program, you can see on the slide behind me that there has been a lot of progress in that direction. We are now at 47% quota of athletes for female in the program. We have pushed around 3% from the last edition. We have four new women’s events in this program.”
8. Wide of briefing
9. Ducrey speaking
STORYLINE:
The International Olympic Committee on Sunday urged for peace and unity during the Games following a clash between police and protesters in Milan near a Winter Olympics venue.

Italian police fired tear gas and a water cannon at dozens of protesters who threw firecrackers and tried to access a highway near a Winter Olympics venue on Saturday.

The brief confrontation came at the end of a peaceful march by thousands against the environmental impact of the Games and the presence of U.S. agents in Italy.

"Protest, peaceful protest, is entirely legitimate in many countries of the world," said Mark Adams, International Olympic Committee spokesperson, as he responded to the clashes during a briefing on Sunday.

"We draw a line as we said earlier on at violence. That has no place at the Olympic Games... I think we just need to get on with the Games, which will spread a strong message of unity and peace to the world which I think is very important at this moment in time.”

Fellow spokesman Luca Casassa echoed the sentiments, saying that anything that exceeds “a framework of respect and positive confrontation” does not belong at the Olympics.

===========================================================

Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: [email protected].

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...