So now: the Olympic ice track is being built in Cortina

After long debates, it is now clear: the ice track for the Olympic races in bobsleigh, tobogganing and skeleton is now to be rebuilt in Cortina.

02. February 2024

From: dpa/det

After long debates, the ice track for the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton competitions at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy is now to be built in Cortina d'Ampezzo. The company Simico, which is responsible for building the Olympic infrastructure, awarded the Italian construction company Pizzarotti the contract to build the ice track, as the Ministry of Infrastructure in Rome announced on Friday.

According to current data, the new ice track will cost 81,6 million euros. The new building in Italy is intended to prevent the competitions from being outsourced abroad.

After awarding the Winter Games to Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo in 2019, organizers initially did not present an ice track in which the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton competitions could take place. Because of the high costs of a new building and the lack of subsequent use after the Winter Games, consideration was given to hosting them abroad. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), for example, advocated this. St. Moritz (Switzerland) and Igls (Austria) were discussed.

Andrea Abodi, Minister of Sports of Italy during a visit to Antholz. © ANSA / LUCIANO SOLERO

It would have been the first time in the more than 100-year history of the Winter Olympics that competitions would not be held in the host country. However, Italy's government insisted on holding the event in its own country.

Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini and Sports Minister Andrea Abodi said on Friday that they were pleased that the Pizzarotti company would be carrying out the work. This decision shows that the government is determined to carry out all the work for the Games in the best possible way and, above all, in Italy, the statement said.

Schlagwörter: Winter sports Artificial track tobogganing Cortina Olympics 2026