MILAN — The countdown to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina has officially begun, with only one year remaining. On Thursday, Thomas Bach, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president, expressed confidence, stating, “Italy is ready.”
However, some challenges loom ahead. Despite Italy’s renowned ski resorts and stunning mountainous landscapes, a critical issue involves the refurbishment of the sliding center in Cortina d’Ampezzo, which has a long history spanning over a century.
The IOC has established a deadline at the end of next month for the sliding track in Cortina to receive pre-certification. If the track is not completed in time, there is a contingency plan to relocate bobsled, luge, and skeleton events to Lake Placid, New York, which would present logistical challenges.
Luca Zaia, the president of the Veneto region that includes Cortina, dismissed the idea of sliding events being held in the U.S. when questioned by journalists, saying with a laugh, “Absolutely not! You should see it … you can see the whole track at this point. We are really ahead with the work.”
Zaia highlighted that a dedicated team of 180 workers is engaged from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. every day in constructing the sliding center, with plans to lay the first ice on the track by early March.
“We are absolutely on track with it, even better than the planned schedule,” he stated. He also emphasized that the project involves repurposing a former disposal site into a new sliding venue. “We went to salvage a dump, an excellent skeleton that was the old, abandoned sliding track,” Zaia explained.
Zaia’s comments came during an event marking precisely one year until the opening ceremony of the prestigious Games at Milan’s famed San Siro stadium.
When asked whether he was worried about parts of the Olympic events occurring in the United States, Bach succinctly responded with a smile, “No.”
The 2026 Winter Olympics will be the first to implement comprehensive cost-saving reforms championed by Bach, utilizing primarily existing facilities, which will result in the events being spread across various locations in northern Italy.
“Milano Cortina will be the first Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to fully benefit from our Olympic Agenda reforms from start to finish,” Bach noted. He added that most venues are already utilized for world-class events, showcasing the deep-seated presence of winter sports in the local culture.
As preparations continue, all eyes will remain on Italy as the nation gears up for this momentous occasion in the world of sports.
