With just days to go before the start of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, the MedTech company Ottobock has begun operating its Technical Service at all three competition venues. The workshops in Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo and Predazzo are now fully set up, tested – and already in real operation. Even during the pre‑opening phase, the first athletes made use of the service and the Ottobock team has already had to carry out over 200 repairs: the wheels of a British athlete’s wheelchair had to be replaced after being damaged during air transport; a New Zealand athlete visited the workshop to have a screw on his helmet professionally tightened; and an Ottobock technician shortened and secured a screw on a Chinese athlete’s ski prosthesis – the kind of typical repair work that often needs to be completed in the training days before competitions begin.

With the start of the competitions, the atmosphere is becoming more dynamic – and the number of repair tasks is increasing as well. The Technical Service is operating at full capacity every day to ensure that competitors are optimally prepared for events such as Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Biathlon, Para Snowboard and Wheelchair Curling.

“Our workshops are always a popular meeting point during the Games. Athletes know that we will support them with any technical issues – free of charge and with full dedication,” says Peter Franzel, Head of Global Exhibitions, Events & Sports at Ottobock. “For many athletes, our workshops are one of their first stops after arriving in the Paralympic Village. The strong demand for our service shows just how important our work is – and how well we do it.”

Technical Service: 86 Experts Form One Team for All Nations.

A total of 86 team members from various countries provide fast and professional repairs. Many of them have years of experience at the Paralympic Games and collectively speak more than a dozen languages, enabling them to support athletes from all over the world with ease.

The workshops are equipped with a wide range of tools, spare parts and specialized machinery. Services include prosthetic repairs and adjustments, welding work on wheelchairs, modifications to seating shells and sports equipment, and urgent repairs before training sessions or competitions. Ottobock provides all services free of charge and independent of manufacturer to all athletes and delegation team members.

Press Information, Images & Virtual Workshop Tour.

Background information, images, videos and media contacts is available in our comprehensive online press kit.

Ottobock also invites media representatives to a virtual workshop tour on 10 March 2026 at 5:00 p.m. The session will offer an exclusive live look into the work of the Technical Service at the Paralympic Winter Games.

Registration via email: presse@ottobock.de