Fair Play Awards return to Italy for Milano Cortina 2026, 62 years after first honour
With Milano Cortina 2026 complete, the Fair Play Awards will spotlight standout acts of sportsmanship, integrity and solidarity from the Olympic Winter Games. Here’s how to submit your nominations.
The Fair Play Awards have come full circle at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 returning to the homeland of their first-ever recipient.
The International Fair Play Committee (CIFP), in collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), launched the 2026 edition to recognise acts of sportsmanship, integrity and solidarity witnessed during the Games.
The initiative carries particular historical significance. The inaugural Fair Play Award was presented at Innsbruck 1964 to Italian bobsleigh athlete Eugenio Monti. During the competition, Monti provided a replacement bolt to British rivals Tony Nash and Robin Dixonafter their sledge was damaged, enabling them to compete and ultimately win gold. Monti went on to claim bronze (one of six Olympic medals he earned during his career), but his gesture became one of the defining moments of Olympic sportsmanship.
How to submit your vote
CIFP President Sunil Sabharwal described fair play as essential to sport and highlighted the concept of “victory beyond medal.” IOC President Kirsty Coventry called fair play “the heartbeat of the Olympic Movement,” noting the resonance of returning to Italy, where Monti set the standard more than six decades ago.
With Milano Cortina 2026 now complete, a jury comprising representatives from the CIFP, the IOC and international media has shortlisted these six impactful moments from the recent Games:
- Amber Glenn (USA) - Figure skating: Despite her own disappointment, Glenn stepped in to shield Sakamoto Kaori from intrusive cameras, prioritising mental health and human dignity over the spotlight.
- Italy and USA - Women's curling team: When a disputed stone-touch threatened to cloud the match, the two teams chose honesty over advantage.
- Canadian Women's Ice Hockey Team: When a norovirus outbreak struck the Finnish team, Team Canada didn't look for a forfeit; they looked for fairness by backing the postponement of their Olympic opener.
- Ilia Malinin(USA) - Figure skating: After a heartbreaking drop from 1st to 8th place, Malinin didn't retreat and genuinely celebrated gold medallist Mikhail Shaidorov.
- Julie Zelingrova (CZE) - Mixed doubles curling: Zelingrova exemplified "playing by the rules" when no one was watching. By self-reporting a nearly invisible rule violation (touching a running stone), she chose personal honesty over an easy advantage.
- Kagiyama Yuma (JPN) - Figure skating: Kagiyama's exuberant, heartfelt celebration of Shun Sato’s medal showed that friendship and genuine joy for a peer can bridge the gap of any rivalry.
You can cast your vote by using this dedicated link.
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