Athletes from the four competition venues are teleported onto the France Télévisions set, bringing viewers closer than ever to the raw emotion of each event.
Winter Olympics: when virtual teleportation brings athletes closer to the studio
The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games: a global event unfolding against the breathtaking backdrop of the Italian Dolomites. Snow-covered peaks, legendary slopes, a singular atmosphere… Yet behind this postcard-perfect setting lies a real challenge for France Télévisions, the official broadcaster of the Games.
How do you deliver comprehensive media coverage of competitions spread across multiple mountain venues? How do you interview athletes moments after their achievements, when they may be more than five hours away from the main TV studio based in Milan? And how do you manage unpredictable weather conditions that can render certain sites inaccessible within hours?
Faced with these constraints, France Télévisions placed its trust in Videlio’s teams to design an unprecedented solution: the virtual teleportation of athletes.
“Covering the Cortina Games represented a major logistical challenge: competition sites scattered across the Alps, unpredictable weather conditions, and above all the need to capture athletes’ emotions immediately after their performances. We needed a solution that would preserve this closeness with our viewers, regardless of on-site constraints.”
“We chose to respond through innovation, with an ultra-realistic virtual teleportation setup. A solution designed to eliminate distance, recreate genuine proximity between athletes and the studio, and ultimately move beyond traditional split-screen interview formats.”
Virtual teleportation: when technology erases distance
What if an athlete who has just crossed the finish line in Bormio could appear instantly on the Milan studio set, as if by magic? That is precisely what the virtual teleportation solution developed by Videlio makes possible.
Far from being a futuristic concept, this technology relies on remote green-screen studios installed close to each competition venue. The athlete stands before the green screen on site, and through an ultra-sophisticated capture and compositing system, appears as though physically present alongside the journalists in Milan.
The result? Complete immersion that turns every interview into a compelling moment—seamless, natural, and free from any sense of artifice.
“What immediately won us over was the fluidity and realism of the outcome. The athlete appears on the Milan set just moments after crossing the finish line, with no visual disruption whatsoever. For our viewers, it’s a completely new experience: they truly feel as though the champion is standing right next to our journalists. That is exactly what we were aiming for with these Olympic Games.”
Perfect camera synchronization
What makes this seamless illusion possible? Perfect synchronization of robotic cameras. Every movement, every camera angle is calibrated with surgical precision between the main studio and the remote venues.
A reference tracking system ensures precise synchronization of the robotic cameras and mask management, defining exactly which portion of the image can be teleported. Low-latency transmission of video and audio feeds from each site further enhances this sense of closeness.
Why does this matter so much? Because even the slightest delay or synchronization gap would break the illusion. Viewers would instantly perceive an artificial overlay, an image misalignment creating that uncomfortable feeling of something “pasted on.”
Here, everything is designed so that the athlete or journalist appears as a fully integrated presence on set. No frozen videoconference effect. No sense of two separate spaces. Just a fluid, natural conversation that strengthens the bond between champions and the public—achieved through meticulous work on eye-lines and interactions with someone who is not physically present.
A new-generation immersive studio design
The Milan studio makes an impression at first glance: a curved LED wall wrapping around the space, an augmented reality dome enhancing the visual environment, lighting carefully crafted to create a cohesive atmosphere. Every scenographic element is designed to ensure seamless visual integration.
Carefully orchestrated plays of light and shadow further heighten this sense of proximity. The “teleported” athlete is lit in exactly the same way as the studio hosts, creating a visual harmony that convincingly deceives the eye.
This staging goes far beyond simple visual dressing. It deepens the storytelling around each sporting achievement, turning every segment into a truly immersive experience for viewers.
Mixed zones at the heart of the action
Beyond the main studio, Videlio also deployed mixed zones directly at each competition venue (eight in total). These dedicated spaces make it possible to conduct interviews immediately after the events, live—while emotions are still running high.
Why is this so essential?
Because it is in those moments, just after crossing the finish line, that the most authentic reactions emerge: the joy of a medal won, the disappointment of a ruthless stopwatch, exhaustion blended with pride. These mixed zones provide the perfect setting to capture that raw intensity, while enabling direct engagement with the audience.
A new way to produce major sporting events
Beyond the technical achievement, the viewer’s experience remains at the very heart of this setup. From the comfort of their living room, audiences experience the event as if they were standing at the foot of the slopes, witnessing the athletes’ raw emotion just seconds after the finish line.
This project demonstrates how technological innovation can serve the faithful transmission of genuine emotion. Virtual teleportation captures what lies at the very core of sport: unfiltered feeling, spontaneous reactions, that spark in a champion’s eyes after giving everything.
Technology steps back, allowing what truly matters to take center stage: the bond between athletes and those who share in their excitement—from their sofas or on site at the competition.
Videlio, audiovisual expertise that brings sporting passion to life
This project opens new possibilities for multisite events, hybrid productions, and immersive formats. It proves that it is possible to:
→ Create closeness despite distance
→ Capture emotion at its source
→ Deliver a seamless, uninterrupted experience