The France player who fought Tom Wilson has been suspended for the rest of the Olympics

The France player who fought Canada’s Tom Wilson at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics was suspended Monday by the French ice hockey federation. Pierre Crinon will not play in the qualification round Tuesday against Germany after the federation said the defenseman’s actions following the fight were against its values. Crinon and Wilson fought with seven minutes left in Canada’s 10-2 rout of France on Sunday.

Paralympics, the Italian Embassy bids farewell to the Spanish team heading to Milan-Cortina

(ANSA) - MADRID, 16 FEB - The embrace of the Italian Embassy in Madrid accompanied the departure of the Spanish delegation to the XIV Winter Paralympic Games in Milan-Cortina 2026, scheduled for March 6-15. Leading the delegation as flag bearer will be 21-year-old skier Audrey Pascual from Madrid, who has had an extraordinary season, winning 17 World Cup medals and the Crystal Globe in giant slalom. Born without both legs, Audry grew up skiing in the Sierra Nevada (Granada) with the Fundacion Tambien and has been competing in alpine skiing and surfing since she was a child, with a great passion for speed. "Being at the Games is every athlete's dream, and parading as flag bearer fills me with joy," she said emotionally. There are five competitions in the sitting category: "These are disciplines that I love and in which I express myself best. I will give my all." Pascual will parade in Cortina d'Ampezzo at the opening ceremony on March 6. Alongside her will be five Winter Games debutants: Javier Marcos and María Martín-Granizo in alpine skiing, Emilio Redondo in snowboarding, and Higinio Rivero in cross-country skiing and biathlon. "In biathlon, we aim to get close to the top 10 and in cross-country skiing to the top 20," she explained. Martín-Granizo, 19, fresh from two bronze medals in the World Cup, does not hide his pride: "These medals are worth a lot after so many sacrifices. My category is one of the toughest. Realistically, the goal is to finish in the top ten, but I will give it my all." Javier Marcos, already on the podium at international level, is looking further ahead: "The first goal was to qualify. Now I want to fight for a diploma, and who knows, maybe a medal." Emilio Redondo, 26, lost his left foot in an accident at the age of 19, and just four seasons later he was already winning gold in the European Snowboard Cup. The Minister of Education and Sport, Milagros Tolón, assured the government's support: "I am sure that these Games will give us unforgettable emotions. I know that you will give your all to win medals and that you will leave your heart on the slopes. With your example, you are building more integration and more equality." For her part, the Minister of Inclusion, Elma Saiz, emphasized: "You are breaking down barriers, especially mental ones." Saiz pointed out that "15% of the world's population lives with a disability, and you are proving that those limits can be overcome." Meanwhile, the president of the Spanish Paralympic Committee, Alberto Durán, spoke of "a young team with hope and a desire for immediate success" and said he was "confident that Milan-Cortina will send a powerful message of inclusion for a more just society." The Italian ambassador to Spain, Giuseppe Buccino Grimaldi, did the honors: "It is an honor to host the presentation of the Spanish Paralympic team leaving for Italy. It will be a historic edition, not only because of the competitions spread over a vast area between Lombardy, Veneto, Trento, and Bolzano," but also "because it commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Winter Paralympic Games held in Sweden in 1976." Buccino Grimaldi recalled that the Olympic and Paralympic Games represent "a universal moment of encounter in which different peoples, languages, and cultures recognize themselves in common values: respect, loyalty, and inclusion." "In an international context marked by tensions, dangers, and divisions, the Games take on crucial significance: sport reminds us of the language of peace and fair competition," the ambassador also said, emphasizing how Paralympic athletes "embody the ability to transform difficulties into energy. Good luck to Spain!" he concluded. Read article...

By ANSA