Bolzano's great importance for the 2026 Olympics

The Foundation is responsible for the organizational management of the 25th Winter Olympic Games, which will be held in South Tyrol for the first time between February 6 and 22, 2026, with eleven biathlon events taking place in Antholz. The Board of Directors, in addition to a flood of full-time staff, oversees approximately 18.000 volunteers working at the Olympic and Paralympic Games (which will take place from March 6 to 15, 2026).

At the annual meeting of Austrian sports journalists in Bolzano, Erwin Hinteregger gave a detailed statement on the current state of affairs. He spoke about...

...the venue Antholz: "The Games could start there tomorrow. As hosts of the Biathlon World Cup and multiple World Championships, they have the know-how to ensure nothing is left to chance. The new arena is finished and a true gem. The races are virtually sold out, accessibility for all fans is top-notch, and the biathlon events will be a centerpiece of the Games."

<a data-caption="Die Biathlonanlage in Antholz kann durch den Legacy-Plan auch nach den Olympischen Winterspielen nachhaltig und langfristig genutzt werden. © LPA/Fabio Brucculeri" data-fancybox="inline-266631" target="_image" href="https://s3-images.sportnews.bz/_images/scale/1280x1280/img/2025/06/die-biathlonanlage-in-antholz-kann-durch-den-legacy-plan-auch-nach-den-olympischen-winterspielen-nachhaltig-und-langfristig-genutzt-werden.jpg"> The legacy plan ensures that the biathlon facility in Antholz can be used sustainably and long-term even after the Winter Olympics. © LPA/Fabio Brucculeri

...the widely separated competition venues of the 2026 Olympics: "It's true that Bormio, Livigno, and even Milan are quite isolated from the other venues. This makes our regional capital, Bolzano, all the more important. Many National Olympic Committees will be based here because Antholz, Cortina, and the Fiemme Valley can be reached in just over an hour, Milan in three by train, and only Bormio and Livigno are somewhat more remote. But I'm convinced that the most important criterion is that the Winter Olympics will finally be held in the Alps again, and not in some artificial venue like recently."

“Our regional capital, Bolzano, is of great importance.” IDM Director Erwin Hinteregger

...about the enthusiasm for the Olympics among the population: "When awarding the Games in June 2019, the IOC chose Milan Cortina because of its 83 percent approval rating among the Italian population, compared to 55 percent for its only competitor, Stockholm. Furthermore, the Italian government fully supports the project, and at €1,6 billion, the Olympic budget is extremely manageable compared to Beijing 2022 (€7,58 billion in direct expenses, with another €26 billion going into the construction of the sometimes lavish facilities)."

...about the much-cited sustainability: "We keep an eye on them every day, every hour, and every second, and they're on our agenda. It's important that people keep an eye on us. It's important that they're critical and ask questions. But it's only because of the Olympics that we're able to enjoy many improvements and innovations outside of the competition venues that would never have happened without them. Thanks to the Games, we're preparing for the future."

...on the tourist significance of the 2026 Olympics: "We are not striving for added tourism value. South Tyrol is not hoping for even more tourists, or even greater attraction. Tourism is running at full speed even without the Olympics."

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Bolzano's great importance for the 2026 Olympics

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