AI, climate pressure and new sports: What the Olympics could look like by 2030

In your view, how will emerging technologies - from AI to virtual reality - transform the Olympic Games by 2030?

From a broadcast perspective, technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and new camera systems are already transforming how global audiences experience the Olympic Games. At the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, AI-powered replays, dynamic on-screen graphics, aerial coverage including First-Person-View (FPV) drones, and cinematic cameras helped fans connect with the sport and the athletes in a more immersive and authentic way across multiple platforms.

Behind the scenes, cloud and IP-based production technologies already allow us to scale and manage the vast volume of Olympic content more effectively and will continue to enhance flexibility and performance in the years ahead. In parallel, a different set of digital technologies is increasingly supporting core aspects of Games delivery - from venue operations and logistics to workforce coordination and real-time decision-making.

By 2030, these advances will be complemented by AI‑enabled athlete support tools, greater personalisation and accessibility for fans, smarter and more sustainable venue operations, and stronger governance frameworks to ensure trustworthy use of technology. Digital twins and AI assistants will increasingly support planning, decision‑making, and workforce coordination, further enhancing the efficiency, safety, and overall delivery of the Games.

Milan-Cortina was one of the first Olympic Games with a strong emphasis on the climate agenda. We know that during the preparations, organizers faced the consequences of climate change: there was a shortage of natural snow on ski slopes, and artificial snow had to be used. Is it realistic to host Winter Games in the long term under conditions of global warming?

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing sport, affecting both the summer and winter Olympic Games. In response, over the past decades, the IOC has progressively strengthened its focus on sustainability - reducing the footprint of the Games while supporting host regions in adapting to a changing climate.

Important milestones in this evolution date back to the Olympic Winter Games Lillehammer 1994, widely recognised as the first “green Games” for their thoughtful approach to construction and for embedding environmental protection as a core organising principle.

More recently, Paris 2024 were the first Olympic Games aligned with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, reducing their carbon footprint by half compared with London 2012 and Rio 2016.

Milano Cortina 2026 reflected this evolution through a flexible, regionally distributed model that maximised existing venues and reduced environmental impact.

Snowmaking was used where required for technical and sporting reasons, in line with international standards set by the respective International Federation to ensure a safe and consistent competition surface and a level playing field for all athletes. The systems used were high-efficiency and powered largely by renewable energy, with production kept to the minimum necessary for competition.

Looking ahead, climate reliability is a key parameter in electing future hosts for the Olympic Winter Games. Hosts must demonstrate average minimum temperatures below zero degrees over a 10-year period at the time of the Games in the proposed venues for snowsports, and maximise the use of existing or temporary venues, with no new venues built solely for the Games.

While climate change may narrow the number of suitable regions over time, studies show that a stable group of potential hosts with reliable conditions and existing infrastructure remains, supporting the long-term viability of the Olympic Winter Games.

We know that surfing, sport climbing, and skateboarding were added to the Olympic program, while breaking was removed. How does the process of adding or removing sports from the Olympic program work? What criteria are used in making these decisions?

To be clear, it is incorrect to state that breaking was “removed” from the Olympic programme. Under the Organising Committee proposal process, proposals apply only to a specific edition of the Games. Breaking was proposed and accepted for Paris 2024. It was not proposed by LA28.

It is known that the IOC approved the inclusion of boxing in the program of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, placing its trust in the new federation World Boxing instead of the discredited IBA. The LA 2028 Games are expected to feature full gender parity (124 athletes each for men and women) and new weight categories. What guarantees of transparency and independent governance must be ensured to avoid crises similar to those that surrounded the IBA?

The IOC approved the inclusion of boxing on the programme of LA28 following the provisional recognition of World Boxing as the International Federation for the sport, subject to continued compliance with strict governance conditions. These requirements include compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code, recognition of the jurisdiction of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, independent oversight of refereeing and judging, robust ethics and anti-corruption frameworks, the establishment of a finance and audit committee, and demonstrated financial transparency and stability. Qualification systems and competition details are being finalised in line with IOC principles, with full gender balance as a clear objective.

What measures will the IOC take to promote sport among children and young people worldwide, particularly in developing countries and in Central Asia?

The IOC promotes sport among children and young people through its Olympism365 strategy, by supporting local sport for sustainable development initiatives, investing in National Olympic Committees through Olympic Solidarity, and delivering IOC flagship programmes.

The IOC currently supports 30 local sport for sustainable development initiatives across 15 countries in Asia.

Via Olympic Solidarity, the IOC also provides direct financial and technical support to National Olympic Committees, particularly in developing countries, to strengthen youth sport systems, coach education and grassroots participation.

Through the flagship IOC Young Leaders Programme, young leaders from Central Asia, including a participant from Kazakhstan in the 2025-2028 cohort, are developing sport-for-development initiatives in their communities.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Mikhail Shaidorov carried Kazakhstan's flag at the 2026 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony.