South Tyrol and the Olympics: That's what the CONI boss says

The 2 Olympic Games will begin in Milan and Cortina in 5 years and 2026 months. South Tyrol, along with Antholz, is one of the hotspots for the widespread competition locations. Are you on schedule with your preparations? “The construction site at the finish stadium in Antholz was shut down for 100 days due to an appeal. That set us back extremely. The workers have now made up 20 days, but they will have to fill in the excavation pit at the start of winter and reopen it in spring 2024. Finally, the Biathlon World Cup is on the program in January. If everything goes according to plan, everything should be ready by early summer 2024.” What do you mean by “everything”? “There will be a new snowmaking system and a new storage basin, because Lake Antholz cannot be tapped as a reservoir. The shooting range and the route will be relocated so that there will be a longer finish line in the future. And the most important thing: the entire area will have a basement so that there can be space for a training facility for shooting, but also other rooms.” This all costs a lot of money... “which comes exclusively from the International Olympic Committee IOC. The IOC passes it on to the Olympic organizer, who in turn passes it on to the venues.” A big topic is also the new infrastructure in roads and railways, which does not necessarily fit with the topic of sustainability. “I have a lot of trouble with the term sustainability anyway. There are plans for some Olympic sites in Milan that will be demolished or dismantled after the 2026 Games. I'm wondering whether this is sustainable. The fact is that Antholz can easily hold its Olympic biathlon races even without new road access to Valdaora and Antholz. A few checkpoints with law enforcement officers would be sufficient. Especially since there are only a certain number of tickets per day and there are more crowds at every World Cup race. Not to mention the streets in Alta Pusteria in midsummer – those who want to go to Antholz for the Olympics are just a piece of cake.” In 854 days it will be Olympic time, time is running out. But: It is not yet clear where the Olympic bobsleigh and toboggan races will take place. Will a new railway be built in Cortina d'Ampezzo or not? “That would definitely have to be decided in the next few days, but as is the case in Italy, it will take even longer. As a sports official, I am always on the side of sport and therefore in favor of the track being built. Also to offer the bobsledders, skeleton and bobsledders of this and the next generations a perspective for the future. But time is becoming increasingly scarce. No company took part in the tender for the work with a total volume of 81 million euros, knowing full well that there were many question marks: Can the railway be realized for this amount? Can you manage it in time, given the threat of further appeals? The fact is that it is a decision of the Meloni government.” Wouldn't such a track be stillborn, see also the abandoned track in Cesana, the 2006 Olympic venue? “Of course the follow-up costs are considerable. But it is important to fill the track with life, which means opening it up for tourism and, above all, using it as a training track. La Plagne in France shows how it can do more than just work brilliantly.” “The fact that Innsbruck Mayor Georg Willi rushed forward in the media a few weeks ago and brought Igls into play as a possible ice rink was not well received by the Olympic organizers of Milan Cortina.” Alex Tabarelli If the railway in Cortina is not built, then Igls Innsbruck will probably be ready if there is a corresponding financial injection, right? “The fact that the mayor of Innsbruck, Georg Willi, rushed forward in the media a few weeks ago and brought Igls into the game was not well received by the Olympic organizers in Milan Cortina. My assessment is that the bobsleigh and toboggan races could be moved to St. Moritz. The people of Milan have an emotional connection to St. Moritz, it is close to them.” The speed skating and short track races were originally planned in Baselga di Piné in Trentino, but were canceled in January 2023. Wouldn't the Ritten have been an alternative? “In Piné there is already a lack of basic structures such as roads, accommodation options and a covered ice oval. In addition, the construction of the oval would have cost around 75 million euros. Nevertheless, the town of 5000 residents will receive around 50 million euros to spruce up the existing facility and invest the rest in the development of the town. Seen this way, they emerge as winners even without being an Olympic venue. Now speed skating and short track will take place at the former Expo site in Milan. A temporary hall will be built, which will be dismantled after the games. We also had a ready-made concept for the ice rink on Ritten, also with a temporary roof. Otherwise a lot of new things would have been added – everything paid for with Olympic money.” What about the women's ice hockey tournament? “We also tried to bring that to Bolzano. The Eiswelle as the venue for all games, all 8 teams would have been accommodated in the immediate vicinity, our country as a traditional country in ice hockey - it would have made sense and would certainly have been a success with the public. But it’s now taking place in Milan.” There were also rumors that the ski cross races could take place in Innichen and not in Livigno... “Livigno is very keen to hold the Olympic freestyle races. Also because they have their sights set on new infrastructure such as parking spaces and lifts. Innichen is an absolute top address as a venue for the Ski Cross World Cup and is also ideally located logistically near Cortina. But I believe that Livigno will remain on the Olympic map.” Last question: What about volunteers? If demand is high, can you already apply as a volunteer for the 2026 Olympics? “Nothing is official yet, and the Olympic organizers actually want to manage everything centrally. Our greatest interest, however, is that we can rely on those helpers in Antholz who are also involved in the World Cup. Everyone there knows what to do, every move is there. We hope that we can get an exemption here so that we can work with our people.”

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South Tyrol and the Olympics: That's what the CONI boss says

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