Milano Cortina 2026: Watching the Shift in Access

The Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina are coming to a close. Records were broken, rivalries were intensified, and fans from all across the world tuned in. 

Now, attention turns to the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, opening March 6, 2026.

From Inspiration Porn to High Performance

For years, Para athletes were often covered through emotional storytelling. Injury, adversity, sadness, hospitals, trauma, “overcoming.” Disability activist Stella Young famously challenged this narrative, calling it “inspiration porn” – the idea that disabled people are positioned as feel-good motivation for non-disabled audiences.

This critique has continued to help reshape sports coverage. 

Today, Paralympics storytelling increasingly focuses on:

• Race strategy

• Equipment innovation

• Split times and rankings

• Classification systems

• Tactical breakdowns

The International Paralympic Committee has encouraged sport-first media language, asking broadcasters to focus on performance, rather than medical details. Para athletes are now being analyzed the same as everybody else. 

Access and Representation in Media

Who tells the story also shapes how it’s heard.

Broadcasters like Channel 4 (UK) shifted the landscape by hiring disabled presenters and commentators, embedding disability representation within sports media itself.

For 2026, broadcast accessibility has also expanded. NBCUniversal (USA) has committed to:

• Closed captioning across platforms and livestreams, including the Gold Zone whip-around show on Peacock. 

• Expanded audio description through the second audio program (SAP), and for the first time, audio description on NBC is being delivered in stereo. 

• Improved digital accessibility features such as keyboard navigation, colour contrast, and screen reader support across NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, and the NBC sports app. 

Watching in Canada 

In Canada, the CBC/Radio-Canada continues to expand how audiences can access and engage with the Paralympic Games. Coverage will be available across television and CBC Gem, with free livestreaming and on-demand replays.

CBC has also strengthened accessibility through closed captioning, described video on select broadcasts, and clearer on-air explanations of sport classification and adaptive equipment. 

Access to sports includes access to coverage – and today, we see that access continues to grow.

What to Expect for Paralympics 2026

The Paralympic Games will open on March 6, 2026, at the historic Arena di Verona.

This year’s Games will:

• Feature approximately 665 athletes

• Include 79 medal events

• Span six sports:

  • Para alpine skiing

  • Para biathlon

  • Para cross-country skiing

  • Para ice hockey

  • Para snowboard

  • Wheelchair curling

The Games mark the 50th anniversary of the first Paralympic Winter Games and return to Italy for the second time, 20 years after Torino 2006.

Team Canada and Fill the Stands

The Canadian Paralympic Committee has launched Fill the Stands, inviting Canadians to claim a virtual seat in support of Team Canada.

Funds raised will:

• Support athlete preparation

• Advance adaptive equipment research

• Strengthen local Para sport programs

Supporters can also leave messages of encouragement as athletes prepare to compete on the world stage.

The Paralympics are next, and we are so ready! #TeamCanada

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