Venezuela at the 2026 Winter Olympics
| Venezuela at the 2026 Winter Olympics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| IOC code | VEN |
| NOC | Venezuelan Olympic Committee |
| Website | cov |
| in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy 6 February 2026 – 22 February 2026 | |
| Competitors | 1 (1 man) in 1 sport |
| Medals |
|
| Winter Olympics appearances (overview) | |
Venezuela will compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, from 6 to 22 February 2026. It was Venezuela's first participation in the Winter Olympics since 2014. Its flagbearer and sole athlete, Nicolas Claveau-Laviolette, was born in Venezuela and raised in Canada. Qualifying two months before the Olympics, political unrest in Venezuela meant it was even later before he could renew his documents and register to compete.
Competitors
The following is the list of number of competitors participating at the Games per sport/discipline.
| Sport | Men | Women | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-country skiing | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Venezuela returned to the Winter Olympic Games for the first time in twelve years. Their sole athlete, becoming only the nation's sixth Winter Olympian, was Nicolas Claveau-Laviolette. Born in Venezuela to Québécois parents, Claveau-Laviolette was predominantly raised in Canada, where he took up and trains in cross-country skiing.[1][2] As the only athlete, Claveau-Laviolette was also the nation's flagbearer at the opening ceremony's Parade of Nations. Venezuela was last alphabetically of all nations at the Games, entering before the upcoming and current host nations; the parade was split across three locations to keep athletes close to their competition venues, with Claveau-Laviolette parading in Predazzo.[3][4]
Qualifying and eligibility
Low in international rankings, Claveau-Laviolette knew he could not make the Canadian team nor meet the competition standards for nations with a skiing tradition;[5] despite having previously represented Canada,[6] he had been in contact with the Venezuelan Olympic Committee (COV), intending to represent his birth nation without a skiing tradition. At the end of November 2025, Claveau-Laviolette met qualifying standards at the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) event at Ruka in Finland. Also at Ruka was Guillermo Racero, an Austrian-raised skier also aiming to qualify for Venezuela, where he was born. Racero had already returned to Venezuela to renew his documents before the race, but failed to meet the standards.[5]
The COV earned a berth in the cross-country skiing draw, awarding it to Claveau-Laviolette and inviting him to Caracas to meet with the COV and renew his documents; the trip was planned for early January 2026[5] during his break from university.[7] This was postponed when the United States intervened in Venezuela on 2–3 January, causing flight cancellations, embassy closures, and concerns of unrest.[2][5][6] Unsure if Claveau-Laviolette would be able to enter Venezuela to get valid documentation and register for the Olympics on time, he considered letting Racero take the berth instead, the "simplest solution"; the COV remained in contact[5] and Claveau-Laviolette managed to travel to Caracas on 18 January 2026 and stay for a week with the support of the COV, including directly from its president María Soto.[6] Claveau-Laviolette made television talk show appearances while in Caracas, becoming quickly recognizable.[7] Racero was also in the delegation at the Games.[8]
Cross-country skiing
Following the completion of the 2025–26 FIS Cross-Country World Cup in the first World Cup period (28 November–14 December 2025), Venezuela qualified one male athlete.[9][10] The country was represented by Nicolas Claveau-Laviolette in two events.[11]
Speaking to Canadian media before the Games, Claveau-Laviolette said he did not expect to get near the podium, but wanted to represent Venezuela and give them someone there, as well as experience the Olympics.[2] After the competition, he reflected how encouraged he felt by people cheering him on and the support of other athletes, including the Finnish team who waxed his skis. He considered inspiring young Venezuelans to ski, something shown on social media during the Games, a greater achievement than Olympic participation.[8]
Claveau-Laviolette finished 88th in qualifying for the men's sprint on 10 February 2026, and then came 98th in the 10 kilometre on 13 February 2026, having been affected by the sunlight in the latter race. It was considered an achievement for him, one of the youngest and least-experienced skiers, to have finished both races.[8]
- Distance
| Athlete | Event | Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Deficit | Rank | ||
| Nicolas Claveau-Laviolette | Men's 10 kilometre freestyle | 26:59.8 | 6:23.6 | 98 |
- Sprint
| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Final | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | ||
| Nicolas Claveau-Laviolette | Men's sprint | 3:47.29 | 88 | Did not advance | |||||
References
- ^ León, Daniela (28 November 2025). "Esquiador venezolano Nicolás Claveau clasificó a los Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno Milán-Cortina 2026" [Venezuelan skier Nicolás Claveau qualified for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games]. El Diario de Caracas (in Spanish). Caracas, Venezuela. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
- ^ a b c "Who is Venezuela's lone athlete?". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 7 February 2026. Retrieved 7 February 2026."How this Quebecer became Venezuela's only athlete at the Milano-Cortina Olympics". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 6 February 2026.
- ^ "Venezuela's sole Olympian is also a Canadian". The Globe and Mail. 6 February 2026. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
- ^ "Milano Cortina 2026 Opening Ceremony: All Flagbearers, all nations - complete list". Olympics.com. International Olympic Committee. 5 February 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
- ^ a b c d e Pratt, Alexandre (15 January 2026). "Conflit Venezuela – États-Unis: Un skieur québécois incertain de pouvoir aller aux JO". La Presse (in Canadian French). Retrieved 8 February 2026.
- ^ a b c "Venezuela regresa a unos JJOO de Invierno tras 12 años con Nicolás Claveau en esquí de fondo". Efecto Cocuyo (in Spanish). 6 February 2026. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
- ^ a b "Un fondeur de Lévis sera l'unique représentant du Venezuela à Milan-Cortina". Radio-Canada (in Canadian French). 28 January 2026. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
- ^ a b c ICI.Radio-Canada.ca, Zone Jeux olympiques d'hiver- (13 February 2026). "Mission accomplie pour Nicolas Claveau-Laviolette, seul athlète vénézuélien aux JO". Radio-Canada (in Canadian French). Retrieved 14 February 2026.
- ^ "Cross-Country quotas list for Olympic Winter Games 2026". International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS). Retrieved 28 December 2025.
- ^ Massot, Arthur (15 December 2025). "Lebanon, Colombia or Thailand: these small nations have secured their place at the 2026 Olympic Games". www.nordicmag.info. Nordic Mag. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
- ^ "Esquiador venezolano clasifica a los Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno 2026" [Esquiador venezolano clasifica a los Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno 2026]. www.primicia.com.ve (in Spanish). Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela. 1 December 2025. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
