On August 10, 2025, legislation containing urgent measures to organize and promote the 2026 Winter Olympics and other major sporting events throughout Italy took effect. The legislation, Decree-Law No. 96 of June 30, 2025 (D.L. No. 96), was converted into law through Law No. 119 of August 8, 2025. The consolidated text of D.L. No. 96 was published in the Italian Official Gazette on September 12, 2025.
Organizing the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games
D.L. No. 96 allows authorities to grant the free, temporary use of assigned broadcasting frequencies to air the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The legislation creates the “Single Fund to Support the Strengthening of the Italian Sports Movement,” authorizing money for the surveillance and control of radio frequencies prior to and during the sporting events. (D.L. No. 96, arts. 1(1), 1(3), 1(4).)
Olympic events will be held at the new Arena Pala Italia Santa Giulia facility, which will be regarded as a facility of public interest and state importance. Under the law, the Fondazione Milano-Cortina 2026 is responsible for building the facilities necessary for the events. The foundation is funded by the Municipality of Milan, in agreement with the Lombardy Region. Accordingly, the municipality is authorized to modify existing urban planning arrangements to build the Milan-Cortina Olympic Village for the athletes of the Games. (Arts. 1(4-bis), 1(4-ter), 1(4-quinquies).)
The law appropriates funds to protect public order and safety and prevent terrorism before and during the events. It authorizes an increased role for the Italian Armed Forces and the National Cybersecurity Agency. (Arts. 2(1), 3(1), 3-bis(2).)
The legislation authorizes the appointment of an “extraordinary commissioner” to direct, coordinate, and implement the activities necessary to organize and carry out the events. Ultimately, D.L. 96 requires the commissioner to prepare a plan to be approved by the president of the Council of Ministers. (Art. 5(1), 5(2).)
Promoting Other Large Sports Events
The law entrusts Italy’s national sports authority (Sport e Salute S.p.A.) to program, design, define, promote and organize the 38th America’s Cup 2027, to be hosted by Naples. The legislation also establishes the “New Organizing Committee of the XX Edition of the Mediterranean Games of Taranto 2026.”
Additionally, it authorizes the appointment of a special commissioner to direct, coordinate, and build sports infrastructure related to Italy’s bid to host the final phase of the UEFA EURO 2032 European football championship. The law establishes a revolving fund called “Italian Sport Fund” for that purpose. (Arts. 7(1); 8(2), para. 2; 9-ter(1)-ter(2); 9-ter(5).)
Supporting Nautical Sports
The legislation seeks to support nautical sports and promote Italian excellence at international nautical sporting events by encouraging the return to Italy of tax revenues generated from the registration of recreational craft for sporting purposes. It also provides that sports prototype boats without the proper class certificates may participate in certain events and navigate Italian waters without limitation on the distance they must keep from the coast, even if they are not registered with the authorities. These rules apply during national and international sporting competitions, promotional activities, and other events organized or sponsored by national or international sports federations or by organizations recognized by them, or by the Department for Sport of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. (Art. 7-ter(1).)
The legislation also creates the “Sport Fund for University Students” to support high-achieving student athletes. (Art. 13(1).)
Prosecuting Sports-Related Unlawful Activities
Under D.L. No. 96, the Italian National Olympic Committee is responsible for coordinating and supervising federal prosecutors’ investigative and prosecutorial activities regarding sports-related violations. It empowers the General Prosecutor’s Office for Sport to gather evidence from the competent sports authorities concerning irregularities at sports competitions. To detect unlawful betting flows, authorities may use artificial intelligence systems, in compliance with national and European Union legislation. (Art. 6(1), adding paras. 3-bis, 3-ter, and 3-quinquies to art. 2 of Law No. 401 of December 13, 1989.)
The new legislation sets forth penalties for anyone causing personal injuries to a judicial police or public security officer or agent performing their duties. It also sets penalties for harming referees and other people who ensure the technical regularity of sporting events, or health personnel, or anyone performing auxiliary activities at sporting events. (Art. 15(1)(a) amending article 583-quater of the Criminal Code.)
Technical Provisions for Safety in Winter Sports
To promote safety in winter sports, the new legislation requires the longitudinal slope of snow-covered sledding or toboggan runs to be no greater than 15 percent, except for short sections, and they must have a minimum width of at least three meters. Also, mechanical vehicles servicing facilities and venues used in winter sports must have appropriate, operational lighting and acoustic signaling devices and must transit at a distance and speed that does not endanger the safety of others. (Art. 10(1)(a)(2) substituting para. 4 of art. 5 of Legislative Decree No. 40 of February 28, 2021; Art. 10(1)(b-ter) adding para. 2-ter to art. 25 of L.D. No. 40.)
Miscellaneous Provisions on Weapons
D.L. No. 96 amends the current law to change the definition of ammunition of war to include cartridges, cartridge cases, and projectiles or parts thereof intended for loading weapons of war. In addition, the new legislation states that exploded cartridge cases and their parts that constitute the residue of cartridges used in weapons of war do not constitute ammunition of war when they are being disposed of or when they are intended to be used as permitted civilian ammunition or for sporting activities. (Art. 12(1) substituting para. 3 of article 1 of Law No. 110 of April 18, 1975.)
Dante Figueroa, Law Library of Congress
January 6, 2026
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