Current affairs explainers · Note 096
Milano Cortina 2026: two athletes, one best-ever slalom
Study context: GS II — Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability (sports governance as a governance case study) — no dedicated UPSC syllabus topic for sport itself.
Background explainer from the November 2026 study collection. Events discussed may predate the collection; this is not a monthly news update.
The 25th Winter Olympic Games, Milano Cortina 2026, ran from 6 to 22 February 2026 in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, the first time two cities jointly hosted the Winter Olympics, with 16 sports and 116 medal events. India competed with two athletes, both men, in two sports, and won no medals, which is consistent with its Winter Games history: India has never won a medal at a Winter Olympics, and Milano Cortina was its 12th appearance since its debut in 1964. Alpine skier Arif Khan carried the flag at the opening ceremony, and cross-country skier Stanzin Lundup carried it at the closing ceremony.
Arif Khan's race was the story. On 16 February, in the men's slalom at the Stelvio Ski Centre in Bormio, he finished 39th overall with a combined time of 2 minutes 41.60 seconds, after a first run of 1:22.12 for 44th and a second run of 1:19.48 that lifted him to 39th. Conditions were difficult: a snowstorm affected visibility in the first run, and only 44 of 96 starters completed it. The 39th place was India's best-ever Olympic finish in the men's slalom, surpassing Kishore Ratna Rai's 49th place at Calgary 1988. Khan had previously finished 45th in the giant slalom at Beijing 2022, also India's best-ever result in that event, though he did not complete the slalom run there.
Stanzin Lundup, whose participation was confirmed after a selection process that involved a Delhi High Court decision regarding the national quota, competed in the men's 10-kilometre freestyle cross-country event, finishing 104th in 28 minutes 26.7 seconds. Former Olympic shooting champion Abhinav Bindra was chosen as a torchbearer in the Milano Cortina torch relay, a symbolic link between India's summer Olympic success and its winter ambitions.
The small contingent raises a structural question. India has mountains, snow, and a large youth population, but almost no winter-sports infrastructure, coaching pipeline, or domestic competition system. Two athletes qualifying through basic quotas is a start, but without snow-sport facilities, the gap between participation and podiums will remain. Khan's 39th place shows what individual persistence can achieve; it also shows how far the system has to go.
Key takeaways
- India sent two athletes to Milano Cortina 2026 (6–22 February), Arif Khan in alpine skiing and Stanzin Lundup in cross-country skiing, winning no medals.
- Khan's 39th place in the men's slalom (2:41.60) was India's best-ever Olympic men's slalom result, beating a 49th place from Calgary 1988.
- India has never won a Winter Olympic medal in 12 appearances since 1964, reflecting a lack of winter-sports infrastructure rather than talent alone.
Why it matters for civil studies
Sports development depends on facilities, coaching, and domestic competition, and a two-athlete contingent is a measure of system gaps, not individual failure.
Think it through
Should India invest in winter sports infrastructure, or concentrate resources on sports where it already wins?
From the Public Notes companion study collection. Editorial context and corrections.