From deserts to snow-covered peaks, the Middle East and North Africa are making some serious noise at the Winter Olympics. Milano Cortina 2026 (February 6–22) isn’t just about medals, it’s about trailblazers rewriting what winter sport looks like.

The National Olympic Committee (NOC) of the UAE in cooperation with the UAE Winter Sports Federation and Ski Dubai, on Sunday honoured the athletes

There are 206 National Olympic Committees worldwide, which are devised by the IOC and the International Sport Federation. These two organizations are the sole authorities who come together to recognize NOCs for the official Summer and Winter Games.

The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics’ early events continued on day -1 ahead of Friday's opening ceremony. After opening the games on day -2 as the first event to start competitive play, curling continued with wins for the U.

Alex Astridge and Piera Hudson to fly flag for Emirates in Alpine skiing events at February's Games in Italy

It’s amazing for all the kids back in Ski Dubai because they can see that there's a pathway and there's an end goal."

The U.N. and IOC are asking for a pause in wars, an ancient Olympic tradition, amid the Winter Games. Athletes from countries beset by violence are set to compete.