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Winter Olympics 2026: Host Italy Hold Out Hope For Home Bobsled Track

Organizers of the Milan-Cortina Olympics acknowledged in October that bobsled, luge, and skeleton events were set to be raced in neighbouring Austria or Switzerland

Bobsled Skeleton event in USA
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Italy's sports minister is 바카라more than confident바카라 that ice sliding events at the 2026 Winter Olympics will take place in Cortina d'Ampezzo, despite the IOC's insistence that organizers should seek an existing venue outside the country. (Sports News)

Organizers of the Milan-Cortina Olympics acknowledged in October that bobsled, luge and skeleton events were set to be raced in neighbouring Austria or Switzerland after scrapping a delayed and increasingly costly plan to revive the storied and scenic Cortina sliding track.

But, the Italian government is keen for the 2026 Games not to become the first Winter Olympics to have events held outside the host nation and a scaled-down plan for renovating the Cortina track was discussed at a local organizing committee meeting on Wednesday.

바카라We'll look at it in the next few days with (finance minister Giancarlo) Giorgetti and we'll unravel the knots, I'm more than confident,바카라 Abodi said when asked if sliding events could still be held in Cortina.

While initial costs for rebuilding the Eugenio Monti track in Cortina had risen to 150 million euros (USD 160 million), a scaled-back plan could cost half that. But, the clock is ticking with the games little more than two years away 바카라 and test events slated for 2025.

바카라There will be economic and technical evaluations and we will give the organizing committee clear directions 바카라 in accordance with the IOC,바카라 Abodi said.

A plan to renovate another mothballed track in Cesana, which was used for the 2006 Turin Winter Games, was also discussed on Wednesday despite the International Olympic Committee firmly shutting down that idea last month.

The IOC had long been sceptical about the Cortina sliding track project and urged Olympic hosts to avoid building venues which do not fulfil a proven need for local communities. Using venues outside a host country is now encouraged to limit costs for Olympic organizers, who typically go over their initial budgets.

The tracks in Swiss resort St. Moritz or Igls in Austria 바카라 respectively about 200 and 100 miles (320 and 160 kilometres) from Cortina 바카라 are likely to be the only two seriously considered as alternatives.

바카라We have full collaboration with the IOC, we'll find a solution,바카라 Abodi said. 바카라They are the owners of the Games, we're the temporary managers so we have to respect the IOC's rules, which we know.

바카라The IOC has always shown that they also understand our worries and problems.바카라

A final decision, with the IOC, is expected by next month at the latest.

바카라We will," Abodi said, 바카라find a solution.바카라

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