Italian Renaissance at Winter Olympics: Does Home Ice Deliver a Competitive Edge?
The Italian team erupted in celebration on Tuesday after clinching gold in the mixed short-track speedskating relay event, adding to a remarkable medal haul that has positioned them as the surprise stars of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. With thirteen medals secured in just the first five days—surpassing their total from the Turin 2006 Games—Italy's performance has ignited discussions about whether hosting the Games confers a tangible competitive advantage.
A Stellar Start for the Host Nation
From Milan to Cortina and beyond, Italy has dominated the opening weekend of the Olympics. The electric celebrations commenced on Saturday in Bormio, near the Swiss border, with silver and bronze medals in the men's downhill skiing event. Hours later, in Milan, Francesca Lollobrigida set an Olympic record in the women's 3000m speed skating, securing the host country's first gold medal.
On Sunday, the medal rush continued across diverse sports and dispersed venues: a snowboard bronze in Livigno, a biathlon silver in Antholz, and a luge bronze in Cortina. In Milan, figure skater Matteo Rizzo sank to his knees after his free skate, sobbing tears of joy before leaping over the wall to join compatriots in celebrating Italy's bronze in the team event—the nation's first-ever medal in that discipline.
Within two days, Italy had amassed nine medals, exceeding their totals from Sochi 2014 (eight) and Vancouver 2010 (five). The host nation was nearly halfway to its record Winter Olympic tally of twenty medals achieved at Lillehammer 1994.
Sustaining Momentum Through the Week
Monday passed without a medal, but Italy rebounded on Tuesday with successes ranging from the genteel (mixed doubles curling, bronze) to the frenetic (mixed short-track speedskating relay, gold). Wednesday saw double victories in doubles luge (men's and women's), pushing Italy's gold-medal count to four. Thursday added another gold in the women's super-G skiing event.
The Host-Country Boost: A Global Phenomenon
To an extent, a host-country boost is typical in the Olympics. The United States shattered medal records at Salt Lake City 2002. Canada set a record for gold medals in one Winter Olympics edition when hosting in 2010, though Norway has since broken that record. South Korea and China won more medals as hosts in 2018 and 2022 than in any previous edition. (The 2014 Games in Russia are excluded from comparison due to pervasive doping issues involving the host nation.)
Home advantage in the Olympics, especially the Winter Games, differs from sports like basketball or football, where fans can intimidate opponents and officials. Curling frowns on heckling, and home fans aren't shouting at opposing biathletes to miss shots. While cheering can provide a lift in some sports, a downhill skier leaving the start gate is unlikely to be affected by cheers from the bottom of the slope.
Literal and Strategic Advantages
However, "home ice" can be a literal advantage. For instance, US bobsleigh, skeleton, and luge racers excelled in 2002 on the Utah Olympic Park track, which they knew intimately. Olympic committees and sponsors also recognise the opportunity when the Games come to town. Canada, after failing to win a single event when hosting the 1976 Summer and 1988 Winter Olympics, launched the "Own the Podium" campaign five years before the 2010 Vancouver Games. China initiated an audacious effort to increase citizen involvement in winter sports.
These investments often yield long-term benefits. The US has remained a winter sports power, utilising world-class facilities built in Utah, which will host the Olympics again in eight years. Canada has maintained remarkable consistency since 2010.
Italy's Historical Context and Current Surge
The country that mostly failed to capitalise on hosting the Olympics in the 21st century is now making up for it. In 2006, when the Games were in Turin, Italy fell short of their best-ever performance from Lillehammer 1994, where they won twenty medals, seven gold. At home, they secured only eleven medals, five gold, lagging behind their total of thirteen from Salt Lake City 2002.
The indelible image of Italy's 2006 efforts came in ice dance, where 2002 bronze medalists Barbara Fusar-Poli and Maurizio Margaglio tumbled near the end of their program, with Fusar-Poli staring at her partner in despair for thirty seconds before bowing.
What's Different This Time?
General improvement is one factor. After a nadir of five medals in 2010 and no gold in 2014, Italy bounced back with seventeen medals in 2022, nearing their record. The current surge may also reflect increased enthusiasm. Turin never fully warmed to the Olympics, but this year's Games feel different, with Italy's early success—punctuated by vivid celebrations—likely fuelling momentum.
Momentum is difficult to quantify. Did Italy's figure skating team inspire ice hockey goaltender Damian Clara to stop forty-six Swedish shots in a near-upset on Wednesday before his injury? Not directly, but sports often defy explanation. When crowds roar for Rizzo or the short-track relay team upsets traditional powers, the presence of something magical cannot be denied.
