Milan will host an international conference on “IP Protection in the Context of Milano Cortina 2026” on 24 October, organized by INDICAM with the IOC and the Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee during Italy’s Anti-Counterfeiting Week to coordinate enforcement against counterfeiting and ambush marketing tied to the Games. The agenda spans illicit activities around the Olympics, global IP and sport trends, and practical enforcement strategies, building on a coordinated IOC brand protection model used for Paris 2024.
Milan is set to become the nerve centre for Olympic brand protection this month, as public and private partners convene on 24 October to align tactics against counterfeiting and ambush marketing ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games. As mentioned in the IOC News release, the high-level event, “IP Protection in the Context of Milano Cortina 2026,” is organized by INDICAM in collaboration with the IOC and the Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee, and forms a core pillar of Italy’s Anti-Counterfeiting Week.
Sessions will dissect “IP and Sport” global trends, illicit activity linked to the Olympics, and real-world enforcement strategies that partners can deploy across marketplaces, supply chains, and digital platforms to protect consumers and the Olympic brand. The gathering promises practical tools and partnership models, with registrations now open and a detailed programme available through IOC communications.
The IOC points to a coordinated brand protection drive ahead of Paris 2024 as a template, underscoring results across online and offline environments that it aims to replicate and refine for 2026. With stakeholders spanning authorities, law enforcement, commercial partners, and IP experts, Milan’s forum is designed to convert lessons learned into a 2026-ready enforcement playbook, reinforcing licensing integrity and supporting athlete funding pathways.
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By embedding the conference within Italy’s Anti-Counterfeiting Week and co-hosting with INDICAM and the Organizing Committee, the IOC is signaling a preemptive posture: align the ecosystem now to deter infringement as the Games approach and ensure a clean commercial environment for Milano Cortina 2026. Expect the Milan outcomes to translate into tighter cross-border cooperation, faster takedowns, and clearer guidance for rights-holders and platforms in the run-up to February 2026.
