English Section

Winter Olympics: US renames sports venue amid protests over ICE agents

03.02.2026 11:30
The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has renamed its ice sports hospitality space in Milan from the ICE House to the Winter House, a move that comes amid protests over the brutality of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
Demonstrators take part in a No ICE protest in Milan, northern Italy, on January 31, 2026, against the planned presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
Demonstrators take part in a "No ICE" protest in Milan, northern Italy, on January 31, 2026, against the planned presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.Photo: EPA/MATTEO CORNER

The change was announced days before the start of the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

The USOPC said its Winter House in downtown Milan would serve as a hub for American speed skaters, figure skaters and ice hockey players, providing space for meetings with families, medal ceremonies, sponsor events and appearances by Olympic medallists and former champions.

While the venue will not be open to the public, it is expected to feature prominently in television broadcasts during the Games.

In January, US immigration authorities fatally shot two people in Minneapolis, triggering protests in several American cities, including New York and Los Angeles.

The incidents have intensified scrutiny of ICE and its role in public security operations.

US figure skater Amber Glenn said the decision to rename the facility was "wise," Polish state news agency PAP reported.

ICE is among the federal agencies expected to assist with security for US athletes and officials during the Games, according to organisers, a plan that has drawn criticism in Italy.

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani sought to downplay concerns, saying that only counterterrorism officials would be involved, "not the people with machine guns with their faces covered."

'It's not as if the SS are arriving'

"It's not as if the SS are arriving," Tajani said at an event for the Day of Remembrance for victims of the Holocaust.

Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala criticised the presence of ICE personnel, saying in a radio interview that he opposed their deployment and questioned whether they would act in line with Italian security practices.

The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics open on Friday and run until February 22.

US Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are among those expected to attend the opening ceremony.

(pm/gs)

Source: IAR, PAP