Date: 29. January 2026
Time to read: 2 min
The 37-member Slovenian team set to compete at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games in February will participate in six disciplines, bringing together experienced Olympians and young prospects making their Olympic debut.
In the lead-up to the Games, a sense of cautious optimism prevails, with the focus on thorough preparation, strong team cohesion and the ambition to deliver a high-quality performance.
The President of the Slovenian Olympic Committee, Franjo Bobinac, wished the team a successful conclusion to their preparations and, above all, good health.
He highlighted the broader significance of the Olympic Games and the role of sport in society. "The values of Olympism - friendship, cooperation and fair play are exactly what the modern world needs most. Sport also unites Slovenia; during your performances, there are no divisions, only hearts beating to the same rhythm," he said, stressing that Slovenian athletes are heading to Italy as ambassadors of their country.
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The Slovenian athletes will compete in six disciplines: alpine skiing, biathlon, snowboarding, Nordic combined, ski jumping, and cross-country skiing. Altogether, the delegation, including coaches, medical staff, and other support personnel, will number around one hundred members. Photo: UKOM
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The athletes were introduced at a media event.Photo: OKS
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In mid-January, the first 25 athletes were announced, and a total of 37 will travel to the Olympic Games. Photo: UKOM
Demanding logistics and a clear team structure
Around 2,900 athletes from 90 countries will compete in northern Italy, with medals awarded across 16 sports. The Head of the Slovenian Olympic delegation, Blaž Perko, pointed out that the Games will be very demanding logistically, as venues are spread across an exceptionally large area. "A highly challenging phase of preparations is behind us, and a new story lies ahead," Perko said at the official presentation of the team.
Most of the Slovenian competitors will take part in the biathlon with nine athletes representing the country, followed by alpine skiing with eight competitors.
Seven athletes will compete in ski jumping and cross-country skiing respectively, four in snowboarding and two in Nordic combined. This distribution reflects Slovenia's traditionally strong winter sports disciplines as well as the solid breadth of the national team.
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The biathlon national team received a special diploma on this occasion for fifth place, which, following a subsequently discovered doping case involving their competitors, was awarded for their performance at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Photo: UKOM
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Among the athletes, the most experienced is Jakov Fak, for whom this will be his fifth Olympic Games. Photo: UKOM
Experience, recognition and expectations
Part of the presentation was dedicated to the team's past achievements. The Slovenian biathlon team received recognition for its fifth-place finish at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games, awarded retrospectively following the later discovery of a doping violation by rival competitors.
The recognition carries symbolic value and confirms the perseverance and long-term quality of the Slovenian team.
In snowboarding, Slovenia will be defending medals won at the previous Olympic Games, while Slovenian alpine skiers will face demanding slopes in the Dolomites. The downhill race in Bormio is regarded as one of the toughest Olympic events, presenting a major challenge as well as an opportunity for strong results. Across all disciplines, the emphasis is on focus, adaptability to conditions and team spirit.
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Alpine skiers: Ana Bucik Jogan, Miha Hrobat, Lila Lapanja. Photo: UKOM
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Ski jumping: Anže Lanišek, Timi Zajc at the media event. Photo: UKOM
Support from the stands and a strong Slovenian presence in Italy
Slovenians traditionally attend the Olympic Games in large numbers, and this time, fan support is expected to be even stronger due to the proximity of the venues. A key social hub will be the Slovenian House in Cortina, open to all and allowing fans to meet, cheer together and watch the competitions. In the event of notable successes, special Olympic gathering points will also become active in Bormio and Predazzo.
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Lucky clovers made of hearts, created by children from the hospital school at the Soča Rehabilitation Center in Ljubljana, wait for the athletes in their rooms during the Olympics. Photo: UKOM
New Olympic stories in the making
The Slovenian team is thus heading to Italy well prepared, well represented and highly motivated, with a single clear goal: for every athlete to seize their opportunity. With the support of fans and an awareness of the significance of the Olympic stage, their shared hope remains the same - for new Slovenian Olympic stories to be written.
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The Slovenian Olympic Committee releases the official Winter Olympics collection, featuring traditional blue, green, and white colors with added gray. Photo: OKS
