Malago to lead organizing committee if Milan-Cortina wins

ROME (AP) — Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malago will lead the organizing committee if the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo bid wins next month’s vote to host the 2026 Winter Games.

Malago’s announcement came hours after a massive police operation in the Milan area resulted in 43 people being arrested — many of them public officials — for alleged corruption in assigning public construction projects to “Mafia-like” groups.

“If someone has made mistakes I don’t think it can affect the Olympic bid,” said Lombardy president Attilio Fontana, who attended a meeting with Malago on Tuesday.

Malago’s decision was made together with representatives of Milan, Cortina and the two regions.

“The IOC wants a representative from the sports world,” Malago said, adding that a business manager would take on the role of CEO.

Malago would remain president of CONI, with his current term ending in 2021. If re-elected, Malago could remain CONI president through 2025 and the body said he could also remain organizing committee head through the 2026 Olympics.

Malago was also recently elected as an IOC member, a position that will last at least through 2029.

With Stockholm-Are the only other remaining bid, the IOC will vote on the 2026 host on June 24 in Lausanne, Switzerland.