Inside Team GB's Milan Winter Olympics Base: A Home Away from Home
Team GB has meticulously prepared its base at the Olympic Village in Milan for the 2026 Winter Olympics, aiming to create a comfortable and supportive environment for its athletes. With 55 British competitors set to participate, including notable figure skaters Lewis Gibson and Lilah Fear, the team is focused on ensuring peak performance through familiar comforts and modern amenities.
Creating Comfort in Cramped Quarters
The accommodation in the village is notably compact, with rooms barely large enough to fit two single beds. However, Team GB has transformed these spaces into welcoming retreats. A large television broadcasting BBC One provides a touch of home, while classic games like jigsaw puzzles and Connect 4 offer relaxation between events. The base is stocked with generous supplies of popcorn, coffee, and fruit pastilles to keep energy levels high.
Anne Sargent, Team GB's deputy de mission, explained the effort behind this setup. "When we take over our spaces in the village, it's just a completely empty room," she said. "So we work hard to ship out a lot of entertainment, snacks, the TV and games to make it a real home from home." Additional furnishings include sofas and stationary exercise bikes, alongside a dedicated room for medical staff such as doctors and physiotherapists.
Fuelling Performance with Familiar Foods
Nutrition plays a crucial role in athletic success, and Team GB has addressed past concerns head-on. Following complaints about limited meat options at the Paris Games, the team reports no such issues in Milan. "The food's been brilliant," Sargent emphasised. "There's everything we'd want in the dining hall: porridge at breakfast and loads of meat at dinner." The base also features 130kg of Quaker porridge oats and an impressive 5,050 Aldi teabags to cater to British tastes.
Athletes have access to a variety of amenities within the village, including a large gym, table football, air hockey, and even a piano for musical breaks. Free drinks machines are stocked with Coca-Cola and Innocent smoothies, though some, like British skater Ellia Smeding, note a preference for higher-quality coffee. "I think we're going to scope out some good coffee shops," she mentioned, highlighting her taste for filter coffee with fruity flavours.
Health and Safety Measures
In light of global health concerns, Team GB has implemented strict hygiene protocols. Signs throughout the base remind athletes to "Take Hygiene Seriously!" with messages like "Germs are everywhere, don't let them compete." Guidelines include closing toilet lids before flushing, coughing into elbows, and regular hand cleaning, summarised by the motto: "Be Safe. Be Smart. Protect the Team." This marks a significant shift from the Beijing Winter Games, where daily Covid testing and restricted interactions were enforced.
Competition and Entertainment
Beyond basic comforts, the base offers unique recreational opportunities. A Formula One simulator provides athletes with a high-tech diversion, blending entertainment with potential cross-training benefits. As the Games commence, British athletes like curlers Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds, who are second favourites behind Canada, begin their campaigns with a group match against Norway on Wednesday.
This comprehensive approach underscores Team GB's commitment to supporting its athletes holistically, balancing performance needs with personal well-being in the high-pressure environment of the Winter Olympics.
