Tennis star Sinner ambassador of the volunteers

World number one tennis player Jannik Sinner from South Tyrol will be the ambassador for the 2026 Winter Olympics in his home country. Sinner (23) is the face of the volunteers campaign for the games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. The two-time Grand Slam winner was once a promising skiing talent himself.

“It is a great honour for me to be part of these Milan-Cortina Games,” said Sinner, adding: “These Games will take place in venues that are very dear to my heart and I can’t wait to see the champions from all over the world come to Italy.” Sinner is from Innichen in the Puster Valley, and Cortina d’Ampezzo is only an hour’s drive away.

The organizers of the next Olympic Games (February 6 to 22, 2026) and Paralympics (March 6 to 15, 2026) want to register at least 18,000 volunteers for the two events. At the most recent Summer Games in Paris, 45,000 volunteers were deployed.

The campaign for the games in Italy begins now and is scheduled to be completed in spring 2025. Anyone who wants to apply must be at least 18 years old by November 1, 2025 and speak Italian and English. Volunteers will be deployed as helpers at airports, train stations, competition venues and in the Olympic Village.

Sinner had missed the Paris Games due to tonsillitis. Shortly afterwards it was revealed that he had tested positive twice for the banned steroid clostebol in the spring, but had been acquitted due to alleged contamination through no fault of his own. Despite the turmoil, he triumphed at the US Open in New York in September.