Athletes bring Milan Olympic Village to life, complete with Italian bidets and 4-story US banners

Athletes Begin Arriving at Milan Olympic Village as Winter Games Approach

The Milan Olympic Village sprang to life Sunday as athletes from around the world arrived at the newly constructed complex where they’ll live during the upcoming Winter Games. Teams from Canada, France, the Netherlands, and numerous other nations could be seen rolling suitcases through security checkpoints and settling into their temporary homes.

The village, which will house 1,500 athletes and team officials throughout the February 6-22 Winter Games, quickly took on an international flavor. Teams have already personalized their quarters, hanging national flags and symbols from windows. Germany, Switzerland, Great Britain, Japan, South Korea, and the Netherlands have established visible presences. China added a friendly panda decoration, while Team USA made a bold statement with a pair of four-story-tall banners featuring the Stars and Stripes.

While the official inauguration by International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry is scheduled for Monday, the complex has been gradually filling with competitors for several days.

Athletes are dining in a spacious cafeteria operated by Italian caterers offering a diverse menu of healthy, locally-sourced options. Sunday’s lunch featured multiple protein choices including chicken, pork, turkey, and various fish dishes such as salmon and hake. Italian specialties like pasta with red sauce or meat ragu were available alongside pizza and focaccia. The dining facility also accommodates dietary restrictions with gluten-free options, while salad bars included protein-rich legumes and nuts.

The living quarters are designed with functionality in mind. Each room contains a single bed positioned above storage cubbies for luggage and equipment. Stand-alone closets come stocked with practical items including drying racks, hangers, laundry bags, dry mops, and extension cords. The rooms feature multiple electrical outlets, including bedside ones equipped with USB ports—essential for today’s tech-dependent athletes.

Minimal design touches include sage green bedside tables, bathroom shelves, and coat hooks that complement painted concrete floors. Some teams are personalizing their accommodations further, with one group seen bringing in mattress toppers from IKEA, while the Japanese team added traditional futons for comfort.

Bathrooms include standard fixtures—showers (reportedly with good water pressure), toilets, and sinks—plus bidets, a quintessential Italian fixture that has sparked curiosity among some international athletes. Social media videos show competitors puzzling over this unfamiliar bathroom addition, which is standard in Italian homes but often confuses visitors.

On Team France’s floor, instructional diagrams placed near elevators guide athletes on proper uniform protocol for various Olympic occasions: opening ceremony, press conferences, medal ceremonies, closing ceremony, and the journey home.

The village offers numerous amenities for athletes during downtime. Technogym has equipped a state-of-the-art fitness center featuring the latest equipment, including Pilates machines. Powerade sponsors a wellness center where athletes can meditate, practice yoga, or speak with trained volunteers. Coca-Cola has created a recreation area with foosball tables, air hockey, a photo booth, and television sets. Some competitors are taking advantage of cosmetic brand Kiko’s complimentary 10-minute makeup sessions.

Upon arrival, each athlete receives a special-edition Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 folding phone, exclusively available to Olympic competitors and decorated with the Olympic laurels.

Even pin trading, a beloved Olympic tradition, has received a technological upgrade. Athletes can now exchange pins using an AI-powered robotic arm developed by Chinese multinational Alibaba. Participants place one of their pins into a plastic ball, then the AI selects a random pin in exchange.

The Olympic Village represents more than just temporary housing for athletes. Located across from the Fondazione Prada exhibition complex in an area attracting luxury brand headquarters, the facility will serve as an Olympic legacy for Milan. After the Games conclude, it will be converted into subsidized student dormitories with communal kitchens—addressing a critical need for affordable housing in a city with six universities.

Given the unprecedented geographical spread of the Milan Cortina Games, Olympic officials have established additional accommodations across five other venues. A temporary village in Cortina will house 1,100 athletes and officials, while hotels and alpine lodges have been adapted in Anterselva and Bormio to accommodate 400 participants each, with nearly 1,000 in Livigno. In Predazzo, more than 900 will stay in a renovated school for Italy’s financial police, which will receive facility upgrades including two new pavilions before being returned to police use after the Paralympics.