Eli Lilly is going for gold at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
In a pair of recent announcements, the Big Pharma was named an official sponsor of the Games, while also doubling down on its longstanding commitments to Team USA.
As a sponsor of this winter’s Olympic and Paralympic tournaments—which are slated to take place next February and March, respectively—Lilly will work with the foundation behind the Milan Games to set up initiatives meant to raise awareness about the importance of prevention and early detection of chronic diseases.
Lilly will help to promote “a culture of well-being” inspired by the Olympic athletes’ perseverance and achievements, Elias Khalil, president and general manager of Lilly’s Italy hub, said in one of the announcements.
“Our goal is to inspire new generations to lead healthier lifestyles. Lilly concretely embodies the principles of research and health, which are essential for the well-being of society,” said Andrea Varnier, CEO of Milano Cortina 2026, adding, “We are convinced that promoting healthier lifestyles will be one of the most important legacies we can leave the country following the Games.”
Meanwhile, as a longtime backer of Team USA, Lilly laid out its official roster of athlete partners for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Among the group is bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor, whom the company touted as “the most decorated Black athlete in Winter Olympics history and a powerful advocate for the role of health in athletic performance.”
All seven of the Lilly-backed athletes—pros in ice skating, skiing, snowboarding and more—have up-close experience with overcoming health challenges, whether through a family member or in their own lives.
Lilly also re-upped the “Milestones into Meaning” program that it launched during the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris in 2024. Once again, the drugmaker has pledged to donate $5,000 for each medal, world record and Olympic or Paralympic record achieved by Team USA athletes, with 26 U.S. health-focused nonprofits benefitting. In 2024, the program sent more than $2.6 million to 24 charitable organizations.
Echoing the Milano Cortina 2026 sponsorship’s central goal of using athletic achievements to inspire better health and well-being, Jennifer Oleksiw, Lilly’s global chief customer officer, suggested in a statement that the “Milestones into Meaning” commitment represents a way to “extend the impact of that shared perseverance by translating Team USA milestones into meaningful change for communities across the country.”
The company’s Team USA sponsorship dates back to the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games and, as of a deal inked in 2023, is set to continue through the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics in Los Angeles.