This year, over two dozen McGillians took part in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, Italy. Current McGill students and staff were among the athletes, coaches, officials, and media professionals shaping the Games both on and off the ice.
One of the most high-profile figures is Lilah Fear, a 2023 Arts graduate who held the rare role of Olympic flag bearer, marking the fourth McGillian in history to receive that honour. Fear represented Great Britain in ice dancing alongside partner Lewis Gibson, performing a rhythm dance on Feb. 9 and the free dance final on Feb. 11.
Also competing was Kayla Tutino, known to many McGill students from her time as associate women’s hockey coach from 2022 to 2024. Tutino suited up for Italy’s women’s hockey team and made her mark by scoring Italy’s first goal of the tournament in a 4-1 victory over France.
Five coaches and technical staff also carried the school’s legacy into the Olympics. Among them were multiple figures with ties to hockey, including assistant coach Alexandre Tremblay and goalkeeping coach Karel St-Laurent—both alumni of McGill’s hockey program—who worked with the Italian women’s team. Mikael Nahabedian, a former McGill Martlets video technician, also served as the team’s video coach.
Meanwhile, McGill also had a connection with Jamie Kompon, (BEd ‘87), the assistant coach of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Florida Panthers who is now supporting the German Olympic team, and Stephen Gough (BA ‘98, LLB ‘08), a former Canadian Olympian who served as the head coach for the U.S. short-track speed skating team.
Additionally, this Olympics featured nine McGill alumni working in administration and official capacities, including Richard Pound (BCom ‘62, BCL ‘67), an International Olympic Committee member and former McGill varsity swimmer who competed at the 1960 Rome Olympics himself. On the organizational front, Canada’s presence at the games was bolstered by McGill graduates such as Jennifer Heil (BCom ‘13), a former Olympic champion who served as chef de mission for the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), and Marie-Andrée Lessard (BCom ‘01), who served as the COC’s senior director of Games. Others include Eric Myles (EMBA ‘11), the COC’s chief sport officer, Claire Carver-Dias (BA ‘01), a former Olympic bronze medalist now in COC operations, and Manny Almela (BA ‘99), guiding press operations at the Games.
Five of the Games’ medical professionals also have ties to the university, including physicians from the McGill Sport Medicine Clinic and specialists like Robert Foxford, who was attending his sixth Olympics as a sports medicine physician. Additionally, five alumni served in media roles, including former National Football League (NFL) player Laurent Duvernay-Tardif covering events for Radio-Canada, and Jennifer Lorentz (BA ‘01), a graphic designer with NBC Sports on her eighth Olympic assignment.
McGill’s connection to the Olympics stretches back more than a century. Since the first McGillian appeared at the 1904 Olympics, alumni have accumulated 34 Olympic medals, and several have carried national flags at opening ceremonies. Yet this historic legacy may face an uncertain future. In late 2025, McGill announced sweeping cuts to its varsity and club sports portfolio, eliminating 25 teams and clubs across a range of sports, including track and field, rugby, badminton, and Nordic skiing. The decision sparked considerable backlash from athletes, alumni, and much of the student body.
Without certain varsity sports, future generations of McGillians may have fewer opportunities to train, compete, and pursue Olympic-level achievement. Phil Edwards, a former McGill track athlete who won five Olympic bronze medals between 1928 and 1936, developed his skills at McGill and later became the most decorated alumnus at the Olympics for several years. Edwards is just one of the many talented alumni who shone at the Olympics, who may not have achieved the same success without the opportunities and training McGill provided. With vast cuts to varsity teams within the McGill community, the university is clipping the wings of many athletes who may have had the potential to flourish as these Olympians have. As McGill diminishes its athletic scope, its presence at the Olympics will surely follow.
