Sliding events of 2026 Winter Olympics to be held outside Italy-Xinhua

Sliding events of 2026 Winter Olympics to be held outside Italy

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2023-10-16 15:23:00

Giovanni Malago, president of the Italian National Olympic Committee, makes a report on activities of Milano Cortina 2026 during the second day of 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Mumbai, India, Oct. 16, 2023. (Xinhua/Cao Can)

MUMBAI, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- The sliding events of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics will have to be held outside Italy after plans to build a new venue in Cortina stalled, the Games organizers said here on Monday.

Giovanni Malago, president of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee, announced the decision to move bobsleigh, skeleton and luge from Cortina to a foreign venue during a presentation to the 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Mumbai.

"As recently as two days ago, the government informed us to consider the best and most sustainable option to not go ahead with the Cortina Sliding Center and move the sliding center to an already existing and working venue," Malago told the IOC Session.

"As a result, Milano Cortina 2026 has to identify another venue outside Italy."

"We are already working to explore all possible solutions and alternatives together with the IOC and the International Federations, before submitting the choice to our Board for final approval."

Giovanni Malago, president of the Italian National Olympic Committee, makes a report on activities of Milano Cortina 2026 during the second day of 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Mumbai, India, Oct. 16, 2023. (Xinhua/Cao Can)

Chair of the Coordination Commission of Milano Cortina 2026 Kristin Kloster makes a report on activities of Milano Cortina 2026 during the second day of 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Mumbai, India, Oct. 16, 2023. (Xinhua/Cao Can)