In 30 days, the starting signal will be given for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games. Around 665 athletes will compete for medals in 79 events across six sports – from Para Alpine Skiing to Wheelchair Curling. Ottobock plays a central role in ensuring smooth competition: as the official Technical Service Partner, the MedTech company provides free on‑site repair and maintenance services to all delegations.

Invisible but indispensable: Ottobock’s Technical Service.

Whether a monoski or ice hockey sled – assistive devices are pushed to their limits during competition. To ensure that athletes can focus entirely on their performance, Ottobock operates three fully equipped Repair Service Centers in the Paralympic Villages in Milan, Cortina and Predazzo throughout the Games. In addition, smaller satellite workshops at all six competition venues provide rapid assistance when issues arise just moments before the start. An international team of O&P professionals, wheelchair technicians and welders ensures that repairs to prostheses, orthoses, wheelchairs and sports equipment are carried out quickly, to the highest quality standards, free of charge and independent of manufacturer.

“The Paralympics are the highlight for every athlete. If equipment problems occur at that moment, every minute counts. With our workshops in the Paralympic Villages and our mobile stations at the competition venues, we are exactly where we are needed in an emergency. Our team is fully prepared – technically, logistically and personally,” says Peter Franzel, Head of Global Events, Exhibitions & Sports at Ottobock.

Ottobock has provided Technical Service at every Summer and Winter Paralympic Games since Seoul 1988, making it the longest-standing partner of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Experience from more than 3,000 repairs completed at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games now directly benefits the upcoming Winter Games in Italy.

Season highlight for Ottobock ambassadors.

Four-time Paralympic champion and Ottobock Ambassador Anna-Lena Forster travels to Italy as one of the defining personalities in sit-skiing. After double gold in PyeongChang (slalom, super combined) and successful title defences in Beijing, she has confirmed her top form over the past two years – most recently with World Championship gold in slalom 2025 and strong World Cup results. Ahead of her start in Cortina d’Ampezzo, the 30-year-old feels well prepared: “The Games are fast approaching. My form is on track, my confidence is growing with each competition, and in these final weeks it’s all about fine-tuning. It’s also important to have a clear mind and to know that the support and everyday solutions work reliably, and that I can count on Ottobock’s support. That gives me peace of mind going into the important races,” Anna-Lena Forster says.

Christoph Glötzner (Para Alpine Skiing, standing) competed in his first Paralympics in 2022 and has steadily worked his way forward since. At the 2025 World Championships, he finished seventh in the giant slalom – the fastest one‑legged athlete on a flat course – and secured additional top results in World Cup competitions. In recent weeks, he has been fine‑tuning with his coaching team during home races at the Feldberg: “The paralympic feeling is already there – and of course I’m a little nervous as well. At the same time, I’m ambitious and focused in my preparation, because at the Paralympic Games everything has to be right. Alongside training, the equipment also has to meet the highest standards. It’s reassuring to know that support is available within seconds if needed,” says Christoph Glötzner.

A special responsibility awaits Austrian Paralympic silver medallist Patrick Mayrhofer in Italy. The long-time Ottobock employee and former elite snowboarder has been appointed Chef de Mission by the Austrian Paralympic Committee. Combining athlete experience, technical expertise and organisational insight, Mayrhofer previously supported the Ottobock workshops at the Beijing 2022 Paralympics. “My job is to create conditions that enable top performances – from barrier‑free access to clear processes between villages and competition venues. With Milano Cortina’s multi‑hub concept, coordination is everything – and this is precisely where collaboration with partners like Ottobock shows its strength,” says Patrick Mayrhofer.

Final preparations for a global highlight.

In the coming 30 days, athletes and Ottobock teams alike will focus on fine‑tuning, teamwork and precision – ensuring that everything is ready when the Games begin. Ottobock looks forward to supporting athletes from around the world reliably, rapidly and independently at the biggest winter sports event of the year.