Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister
Antonio Tajani on Tuesday mooted using the Piedmont bobsleigh
track created for the Torino 2006 Winter Olympics for the
Milano-Cortina 2026 Games so the sliding events do not have to
be held abroad.
Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) President Giovanni Malagò
announced Monday that plans to build a new bobsleigh track in
Cortina D'Ampezzo for the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics
have been scrapped.
He told a session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)
in Mumbai that, as a result, the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton
events would be held outside Italy.
Malago said the government had informed CONI that it did not
intend to continue with the project for the track for the
sliding events in Cortina D'Ampezzo due to the cost.
"Everything must be done to ensure that every competition at the
next (Winter) Games takes place on Italian territory," Tajani
said.
"So if we can use the bobsleigh track used for the Turin
Olympics, I think we should do so.
"I spoke with the Piedmont Governor (Alberto Cirio), who is
ready to make investments.
"Apart from Melbourne in 1956, competitions have never been held
outside the territory of the host nation".
The Cesana Pariol track created for Torino 2006 has not been
used since 2011.
Milan and Cortina are set to host the Winter Olympics from
February 6 to 22, 2026, and then the Paralympics from March 6 to
15.
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