The Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics is an international sports event at the highest level there is. Among 92 other countries, USA has its largest delegation with 232 members arriving in Italy for these Games. But, amid the arrival of Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio who will be leading the delegation at the Opening Ceremony, the IOC has issued an urgent plea to the spectators.

The US Vice President, JD Vance, arrived in Milano Cortina on Thursday. However, amid the tensions around the ICE being sent to Italy, the IOC President Kirsty Coventry addressed the possibility of booing during the Winter Olympics opening ceremony.

The IOC president thus requested fans to refrain from any such acts, “I hope that the opening ceremony is seen by everyone as an opportunity to be respectful of each other.”

Coventry further reminded the fans about the spirit of the Olympics, “When we went to the [Olympic] village that is the best reminder of how we should be. You see athletes from every walk of life.”

“They are all just hanging out. It was a real opportunity to put into perspective how we could all be. And so, for me, I hope that the opening ceremony will do that and will be a reminder for everyone how we could be,” she said.

But why did the need for such a request come up? When the news about the ICE being sent to Italy during the Winter Olympics broke out, not everyone seemed on terms with the call. Let alone people, even Italian officials such as the Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala had said, “They are not welcome in Milan, without a doubt.” 

Even though officials had claimed that the ICE agents would neither be enforcing immigration laws, nor patrolling the streets of Italy. Instead, their role was to assist the Diplomatic Security Service of the US Department and cooperate with the Italian authorities in terms of threat assessment.

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Still, there’s been a great backlash all over Italy over the presence of the ICE. But the tension hasn’t just affected the officials. It’s also reached the major landmarks, as one of them was renamed recently, per USA Today. 

Major landmark renamed amid Milano‑Cortina Winter Olympics

Earlier this week, USA Today’s Christine Brennan reported on X that U.S. Figure Skating, USA Hockey, and U.S. Speedskating, decided to rename their Milan hospitality space to “The Winter House,” canceling out it’s previous name, “The Ice House.”

Give the controversies surrounding the ICE, protests have emerged in Milan ever since the news of their presence broke out, with signboards, “ICE agents in Milan? No thanks!” (translated from Italian).

Around the same time, the name of the former Ice house was changed to Winter House. And the explanation for it?

“Our hospitality concept was designed to be a private space free of distractions where athletes, their families, and friends can come together to celebrate the unique experience of the Winter Games,” read a statement from the house sponsors from USA Hockey, US Speedskating and U.S. Figure Skating.

The Winter House is supposed to host multiple activities including meet-and-greets with Olympics personalities and watch parties.

And while this change got off to a smooth start, many are hoping the Olympic Ceremony at the San Siro stadium also goes on without any jeers against the US delegation. And the move from the IOC president looked like an attempt to ensure that.