MILAN — The International Olympic Committee confirmed that machine-vision systems will assist referees in several judging-heavy events, starting with the 2026 Games. The technology tracks body position frame by frame, compares it to known scoring criteria, and flags inconsistencies for officials to review.

In practice, it is not a replacement for humans. Officials retain the final word, but the system creates a detailed record that can be used for appeals and post-event audits. Athletes and coaches say transparency will be crucial: they want to know what the system sees and how it weighs errors.

The IOC says a public rulebook for AI-assisted judging will be published ahead of the opening ceremony, including limits on automated decisions and a defined path for challenges.