When every second on the slopes counts, equipment and assistive technology must perform reliably - and that’s where Ottobock comes in. As the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games concluded on Sunday with the Closing Ceremony at the Stadio Olimpico del Ghiaccio, the Olympic curling venue in Cortina, Ottobock released its final figures: 495 repairs were completed across all three Paralympic Villages - Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo and Predazzo.

An 86‑member international expert team took responsibility for the technical care of wheelchairs, prostheses, orthoses, sledges, monoskis and other assistive devices in the main workshops and at mobile repair stations located directly at the competition venues. 42% of all repairs were wheelchair‑related, 14% involved prosthetic devices and 11% were orthotic repairs. The teams also carried out 24 emergency interventions directly at the competition venues, ensuring that athletes were able to start - sometimes just moments before their race. Alongside sports equipment, they also repaired 352 everyday assistive devices, offering all services free of charge and fully manufacturer‑independent.

“A place where challenges turn into solutions”

“Our workshop is the place where challenges turn into solutions. Athletes arrive with a problem - and leave knowing they can compete at full strength again. That’s exactly why our work is so important,” says Peter Franzel, Head of Events, Exhibitions & Sports, who has led the organisation of Ottobock’s Technical Repair Service since 2008.

Prominent visitors also highlighted the significance of the Repair Service Center for the Paralympic Movement. During his visit to the workshop in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Andrew Parsons, President of the International Paralympic Committee, emphasized: “This service is indispensable. When something breaks, the athletes cannot compete. The technicians help them to move, to compete - enabling them to inspire and excite the world.”

Creativity Meets Precision: Short Tights, Orthotic Solutions and a Repaired Flute

The Alpine winter showed all its facets - and that meant technicians were not only working on skis, sledges, and prostheses, but also on clothing. In unusually warm conditions, Para cross‑country skiing and Para biathlon athletes requested shortened race tights and shirts to avoid overheating during competition. Ottobock technicians adapted garments on the spot, even turning hats into headbands - including for a two‑time German medallist, for whom the “short tights” became something of a lucky charm.

A French skier also sought help at the Ottobock Repair Service Center after breaking his right thumb. He needed a protective splint so his thumb wouldn’t repeatedly strike the gates during the giant slalom. Two orthopaedic technicians crafted a bespoke solution: They first took a plaster cast of the athlete’s hand inside his ski glove - in the position in which he holds the pole. Based on this, they created a detailed negative mold and then laminated it with film, multiple layers of carbon fibre and resin. Under vacuum pressure, the material was shaped into a perfectly fitted protective splint that stabilised the thumb throughout the race.

A moment of levity came when a member of the Mexican delegation arrived with a cracked bone‑mouthpiece flute. The fissure disrupted the tone - so an Ottobock technician carefully filled the gap with sealing resin and smoothed the surface. Moments later, the flute played clearly once again - right there in the workshop.

Beyond these special cases, the range of repairs included frame welding on wheelchairs and Para ice hockey sledges, replacement of ball bearings, and precise adjustments to ski prostheses, such as shortening and securing screws or fine‑tuning seating shells. Many of these interventions were carried out during training days, ensuring athletes began their competitions with fully functioning equipment.

Driven by Passion - Ready for What Comes Next

“Passion for Paralympics is not just a slogan for us - it’s what drives our work. Our technicians in Milan, Cortina and Predazzo have once again shown what happens when expertise, passion and team spirit come together,” says Franzel. “We’re carrying this spirit forward as we prepare for the upcoming Paralympic Games in Los Angeles 2028 and the French Alps in 2030. Preparations at Ottobock are already in full swing.”