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Decorated Olympic skier Mikaela Shiffrin wants to represent her own “values” at this year’s Milan Cortina Olympic Games.
“I think there’s a lot of difficulty in the world globally, and there’s a lot of grief. There’s a lot of violence. It can be difficult to reconcile that when you’re also competing for medals in an Olympic event,” the two-time gold medalist said during her press briefing in Italy on Saturday.
During his lengthy response, Shiffrin read aloud a quote from Nelson Mandela, which was also recited during the opening ceremonies.
Mikaela Shiffrin speaks during a press conference during the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Cortina Olympic Curling Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo on February 7, 2026. (Stefano Rellandini/AFP via Getty Images)
“‘Peace is not just the absence of conflict. Peace is the creation of an environment in which we can all flourish, regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, class, caste or any other social marker of difference,'” Shiffrin said, reading the quote from her phone.
“And for me, when it comes to the Olympics, I really hope to show up and represent my own values. The values of inclusion, the values of diversity and kindness and sharing, tenacity, work ethic, being there with my team every day, and the values that we bring and showcase on the mountain and on the hill every day. I hope to represent those who have supported me all this time.
“I’m really grateful to be here, and my biggest hope for these Olympic Games, from a broader perspective, is that they are a great demonstration of cooperation and competition.”
American Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates her victory in the Alpine skiing, World Cup women’s slalom, in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic, Sunday, January 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)
Shiffrin’s questioning comes as many American athletes are asked how they felt representing the United States at the Australian Open during President Donald Trump’s current second term.
Anti-ICE protests took place in Milan last week after it was announced that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents would be deployed to this year’s Games.
U.S. Embassy officials told The Associated Press last week that ICE agents would support diplomacy security details and would not carry out any immigration control operations, given that they would take place in a foreign country.
Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said ICE would not be welcome in the city and cited images of masked agents in Minneapolis.
People take part in an anti-ICE protest, ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, January 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
“It’s a militia that kills, a militia that enters people’s homes by signing their own permits. It’s clear that they are not welcome in Milan, without a doubt,” Sala told RTL Radio 102 before ICE’s security involvement was revealed.
