Olympians Reveal Hilarious Work-Around to Closing Ceremony’s Bag Ban

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As a lifestyle expert, I was so impressed with Team USA at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics! It wasn’t just their incredible athletic ability, though – they were also total pros when it came to packing! Seriously, these athletes clearly know a thing or two about efficient travel – a skill I always admire.

Winter athletes attending the Closing Ceremony on February 22nd had to be resourceful with what they brought, as the San Siro Olympic Stadium wouldn’t allow bags bigger than 40 x 30 x 20 centimeters.

Snowboarder Hahna Norman showed fans how athletes were working around the ban on backpacks—by filling their pockets with everything they needed for the long day ahead.

In a TikTok video posted on February 22nd, recorded while traveling to the ceremony, she explained that everyone had to carry everything they’d need for the next 14 hours in their pockets. She then announced they were going to show everyone what they were carrying, calling it a ‘Team USA pocket haul’.

Snowboard cross athlete Stacy Gaskill kicked off a video by showing viewers just how much she could pack into her Team USA jacket. The 25-year-old wanted to be ready for anything, so she brought along a variety of items, including snacks, towels, a Kindle, her passport and wallet, a phone charger, gloves, cards, a disposable camera, and an extra pair of socks.

Next up was Lily Dhawornvej, who showed off a collection of Olympic pins, a gold bottle, and two hats. The 16-year-old snowboarder explained her abundance simply: “Because why only have one?”

Next up was freestyle mogul skier Olivia Giaccio, who showed everyone the makeup tubes she’d carried in her pocket.

“A bunch of makeup,” she said. “Long day, you never know!”

She packed for her trip with essentials like antibacterial wipes, gum, tea, her passport, a change of underwear, and plenty of snacks.

Snowboard cross competitor Brianna “Bri” Schnorrbusch was the last to compete, and before her run, she showed everyone what she carries with her: a snowglobe, a disposable camera, travel-sized perfume, makeup, a hairbrush, and socks – all pulled from her pockets.

Hahna, 21, shared a video jokingly showing what her teammates were hiding in their jackets, explaining, “That’s why our pockets were so full!”

And backpacks aren’t the only items that didn’t make the cut for the closing ceremony. 

Besides large bags, the Olympics stadium didn’t allow many other items, such as power banks, alcohol, anything flammable, sprays, firearms, illegal drugs, loud noise-makers, sports equipment, laser pointers, and personal transportation devices like bikes, scooters, and skates, as stated on the official Olympics website.

With the 2026 Winter Olympics now finished, let’s remember all the athletes who achieved incredible things in Italy.

As a lifelong follower of the Winter Olympics, let me tell you, this skier’s performance in 2026 was absolutely legendary! He snagged six gold medals, bringing his total to an incredible eleven throughout his career. That officially makes him the most decorated gold medalist ever in the Winter Games – a truly historic achievement!

The American speed skater won the gold medal in the men’s 1000m race, and he broke the Olympic record with a time of 1:06.28.

(Days later, he set yet another Olympic speed skating record.)

The ski racer made history by winning an Olympic gold medal. This victory was especially significant as it marked Brazil’s first-ever medal in the Winter Olympics, and the first for the entire continent of South America.

The Team USA snowboarder won a silver medal in the women’s halfpipe, making her the first woman to earn three medals in a row in the event.

She made history as the first woman to successfully land a cab double 1080 in the Olympic halfpipe final.

The 22-year-old is the first Black woman to play for Team USA women’s hockey at the Olympics. 

The cross-country skier is the first woman to represent Mexico in the sport at the Olympics. 

The U.S. curling team won the country’s first-ever silver medal in the mixed doubles competition.

This athlete is the first woman from South Africa to compete in skeleton at the Olympic Games.

An American cross-country skier just won a silver medal, ending the country’s 50-year wait for a medal in the men’s sprint classical race.

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2026-02-24 03:47