(ANSA) – ROME, FEB 21 – The transport ministry on Friday slammed as disquieting the reported sabotage of a controversial bobsleigh track being built in Cortina d’Ampezzo, which is set to co-host the 2026 Winter Olympics with Milan.
Cortina, one of Italy’s most famous ski resorts and Milan, more than 400 kilometres away, are the main hosts of the Games next year.
“What happened in Cortina, where unknown people sabotaged the bobsleigh track is disquieting and grave”, the transport ministry said in a note.
“Those seeking to damage the Olympics are damaging Italy in front of the world.
“The State will not be intimidated”, it also said.
The committee in charge of infrastructures for the Winter Olympics next year said that, during the night between Thursday and Friday, a “refrigeration pipe was detached and found in the middle of the street, blocking traffic and creating significant inconvenience to the construction site for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Games, also ahead of a visit of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) scheduled on Monday, February 24”.
The construction of the bobsleigh track, which is nearly completed and should be tested next month to host the Olympic competition, has sparked a bitter controversy over the felling of dozens of trees.
Numerous environmental associations reportedly filed complaints in relation to the demolition of the old Monti track and tree-felling to make way for the new facility.
Last year plans to build a new bobsleigh track in Cortina looked set to be scrapped due to cost issues, amid proposals to hold the sliding events outside Italy.
The disused track at Cesana in Piemonte created for the Torino 2006 Winter Olympics was also put forward as another option.
However in the end the government and Veneto region decided to press ahead with the original plans.
Milan and Cortina will host the Winter Olympics from February 6 to 22, 2026, and then the Paralympics from March 6 to 15.
(ANSA).
Read article…
Cortina, one of Italy’s most famous ski resorts and Milan, more than 400 kilometres away, are the main hosts of the Games next year.
“What happened in Cortina, where unknown people sabotaged the bobsleigh track is disquieting and grave”, the transport ministry said in a note.
“Those seeking to damage the Olympics are damaging Italy in front of the world.
“The State will not be intimidated”, it also said.
The committee in charge of infrastructures for the Winter Olympics next year said that, during the night between Thursday and Friday, a “refrigeration pipe was detached and found in the middle of the street, blocking traffic and creating significant inconvenience to the construction site for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Games, also ahead of a visit of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) scheduled on Monday, February 24”.
The construction of the bobsleigh track, which is nearly completed and should be tested next month to host the Olympic competition, has sparked a bitter controversy over the felling of dozens of trees.
Numerous environmental associations reportedly filed complaints in relation to the demolition of the old Monti track and tree-felling to make way for the new facility.
Last year plans to build a new bobsleigh track in Cortina looked set to be scrapped due to cost issues, amid proposals to hold the sliding events outside Italy.
The disused track at Cesana in Piemonte created for the Torino 2006 Winter Olympics was also put forward as another option.
However in the end the government and Veneto region decided to press ahead with the original plans.
Milan and Cortina will host the Winter Olympics from February 6 to 22, 2026, and then the Paralympics from March 6 to 15.
(ANSA).
Read article…
