Mar 05, 2026
3 min read
The public was asked to choose from among the figure skaters and curlers nominated for the Milan-Cortina Games.
What is the best fair game during the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina, Italy?
The International Fair Play Committee, together with the International Olympic Committee, asks the public which of the six acts of "sportsmanship, integrity and solidarity" performed during the competition should win the Fair Play Award.
Votes can be cast online here until Tuesday for the following candidates:
- American figure skater Amber Glenn: Glenn choked back Japanese silver medalist Kaori Sakamoto's tears for her on-camera performance, then posted on social media that "they'll stay your company even if you need a clear spot," according to People magazine.
- U.S. women's curling teams and Italians: During their match, the U.S. players acknowledged the possible violation and the Italian team chose to work with them to find the "fairest possible" solution.
- Canadian women's ice hockey team: Not to be blamed when the norovirus hit the Finnish team, the Canadians postponed their Olympic opening.
- Ilya Malinin, American figure skater: Despite dropping from first place to eighth place after falling during his performance, Malinin celebrated Kazakhstan's Mikhail Shidorov winning the gold medal.
- Czech Republic hairdresser Julie Zelingrova: Zelingrova, a member of the youngest mixed double pair, was accused of choosing "personal integrity over simple advantages" in a self-portrait described as a "nearly imperceptible violation of rules".
- Kageyama Yuma, Japanese figure skater: Kageyama, the silver medalist, responded to teammate Shun Sato's third-place finish with an "outrageous, heartfelt celebration" that showed "friendship and genuine joy for a teammate can bridge the gap of any rivalry."
The results of the vote are expected to be announced soon.
The Switzerland-based Fair Play Association noted that this year's awards "return to the home of their first recipient," legendary bobsledder Eugenio Monti, a six-time Olympic medalist, also at the 1956 Winter Games, also hosted by Cortina, Italy.
Monti won his first Fair Play Award at the 1964 Winter Games in Innsbruck, Austria, by awarding the break bolts to British competitors Tony Nash and Robin Dixon, allowing them to compete and win gold; Monti and his partner won the bronze medal.
The Italian bobsledder's decision is considered "one of the defining moments of an Olympic athlete" by the Fair Play Committee, which was created by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization together with international sports organizations.
The committee seeks to highlight actions in the Olympics that promote the values of "fair competition, respect, friendship, team spirit, equality, doping-free sports, respect for written and unwritten rules such as integrity, solidarity, tolerance, care, excellence and joy."
Past winners include DJing at the Eiffel Tower beach volleyball court at the 2024 Paris Summer Games.Antonio "Tony" Rojas helped ease the tension during a match by playing John Lennon's peace anthem "Imagine," prompting a sing-along from the crowd.
