During his visit to Italy, President Karol Nawrocki met with Polish athletes in the Olympic Village in Milan and held talks with representatives of the International Olympic Committee regarding the possibility of Poland hosting the Olympic Games. He emphasized that Poland is prepared to bid to host the Games in 2036. “This is something that unites rather than divides,” the president said.
Saturday marked the third day of President Nawrocki’s visit to Italy in connection with the inauguration of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. A day after the opening ceremony at San Siro Stadium in Milan, the president visited the Olympic Village, where he met Polish athletes preparing for competition.
The head of state was welcomed by the head of the Polish Olympic Mission, Konrad Niedźwiedzki. According to the Chancellery of the President of Poland, the visit provided an opportunity for direct conversations with the athletes and for expressing support for their upcoming events.
On Friday evening, President Nawrocki attended the Games’ opening ceremony, which lasted over three hours. Earlier, he met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to convey congratulations on the organization of the Olympic event.
Alongside his visit to the Olympic Village, the president conducted discussions concerning future Olympic Games. As reported on X by Zbigniew Bogucki, Karol Nawrocki clearly declared Poland’s readiness to bid to host the Olympic Games in 2036.
“I expressed our readiness for Poland to host the Games in 2036. This is something that unites rather than divides,”
the president said during talks with IOC representatives.
The president noted that Poland is the world’s 20th-largest economy, a regional leader, and a country with experience in organizing major sporting events, such as EURO 2012 and numerous world and European championships across various disciplines. In a conversation with Kirsty Coventry, chair of the IOC Games Commission, the proposal was reportedly received with considerable openness.
Although 2036 remains the primary target year identified by the president, subsequent editions of the Games in 2040 and 2044 are also under consideration.
“It would be something exceptional for the entire region – Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic,”
Karol Nawrocki stressed, pointing to the regional dimension of a potential bid.
The president’s visit to Milan concluded with meetings with the Polish delegation and the publication of a photo gallery documenting his time in the Olympic Village and participation in the Games’ inauguration.