IOC president Kirsty Coventry says ICE and Epstein files are 'sad' distractions from Winter Olympics

MILAN (AP) — Two years before the Los Angeles Olympics, the United States is already dominating the narrative in the run-up to the opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina Winter Games.

International Olympic Committee officials, including President Kirsty Coventry, couldn’t avoid questions relating to ICE and the Jeffrey Epstein files at a news conference in Milan on Sunday.

Coventry tried to fend them off by saying it was not the IOC’s place to comment on the issues but when pressed admitted it was “sad” that such stories were deflecting attention away from the upcoming Olympics.

“I think anything that is distracting from these Games is sad, right? But we’ve learned over the many years … there’s always been something that has taken the lead, leading up to the Games,” Coventry said. “Whether it has been Zika, COVID, there has always been something.

“But what is keeping my faith alive is that when that opening ceremony happens and those athletes start competing, suddenly the world remembers the magic and the spirit that the games have and they get to suddenly remember what’s actually important and they get to be inspired and so we’re really looking forward to that.”

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered Saturday in Milan to protest the deployment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during the upcoming Winter Olympics, unbothered by the fact that agents would be stationed in a control room and not operating on the streets.

Meanwhile, the latest collection of government files released on Epstein include emails from 2003 between Casey Wasserman, the head of the Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee, and Epstein’s one-time girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.

“From all the information that we have and I believe that the US authorities, as the other authorities, have made all the clarifications needed, so from our side that’s not for us to further comment on that part of the security. But we’re really looking forward to the games,” Coventry said when asked about the presence of ICE agents in Milan.

She was even less responsive when asked about Wasserman.

“We didn’t discuss it yesterday and I believe Mr. Wasserman has put out his statement and we now have nothing further to add,” Coventry said.

Two IOC members were mentioned in the documents, although there is no suggestion they did anything wrong.

They are: Richard Carrion, a Puerto Rican banker who finished runner-up to former IOC president Thomas Bach in the 2013 election; and Johan Eliasch, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation president who was one of Coventry’s opponents last March.

“I’ve not been in contact with Casey, the focus has fully been on Milano Cortina, there’s been a number of things that we’ve been focusing on here,” said Coventry, who was elected just over 10 months ago and is the first female IOC president.

“In terms of IOC members, we’re obviously watching and monitoring the media and we’re aware of a few things that have been reported just today and we need some time to look into that and to be given intel.”

The upcoming Olympics run from Feb. 6-22. U.S. Vice President JD Vance will lead an American delegation to the Milan Cortina Games and attend Friday's opening ceremony.

AP Winter Olympics at https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

IOC President Kirsty Coventry, top center, sits at the head of the table at the start of the IOC Executive Board meeting at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni, Pool)

People take part in an Anti-ICE demonstration, ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

People take part in an Anti-ICE demonstration, ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry meets the media in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (Claudio Furlan/LaPresse via AP)

Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry meets the media in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (Claudio Furlan/LaPresse via AP)

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small European Union country that was previously run by a liberal government.

Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.

Jansa's appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.

Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election last month.

Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.

Critical of the previous government's alleged “inefficiency," Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted."

Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.

Golob in his speech described Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy."

Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa's "idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”

Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.

The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.

Janez Jansa, center, addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa arrives for a session of the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)