St. Moritz still has to wait for the contract to be awarded: the Italian political farce surrounding the 2026 Olympic bobsleigh track continues

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The Italian frenzy over the 2026 Olympic bobsleigh track continues, at least until January 31. In other words, St. Moritz will have to wait another two weeks to see if it can hold the Olympic races in bobsleigh, skeleton and luge in two years’ time.

What is going on? The games in Milan and Cortina still have no ice rink; the issue has long since become an Italian political farce. Today, Thursday, passed the deadline for construction companies that want to realize the renewed project worth 81.5 million for the demolished railway line in Cortina. This new project only exists because high-ranking politicians from the right-wing Lega party want to avoid the perceived national disgrace of Olympic competitions outside Italy.

A construction company wants to build in record time

If no company had come forward, as was the case with the first tender last year, the nightmare would have been over and St. Moritz would have been awarded the contract.

But according to “Corriere della Sera”, the Pizzarotti company, one of the largest construction companies in the country, emerged. Now we first have to see whether the company is even capable of building an ice rink in record time. Because there really isn’t enough time left. Realistically, on-ice test matches could not take place until autumn 2025, a few months before the Games, rather than next winter.

There is a lot of resistance to politicians’ plans

This requires an exemption from the IOC. Do these exist? More than doubtful. Olympic boss Christophe Dubi emphasized again on Thursday during a media event in South Korea: “Our position remains clear. We question the cost, schedule and sustainability of the facility. We recommend using an existing ice rink.”

The IOC, many (left-wing) politicians, environmental associations, even the mayor of Cortina and the Italian Olympic Committee are against the last-minute madness. Is the Lega Party still giving in? At least Luca Zaia, president of the Veneto region, suggests that the ultimate joke would at least be avoided. That would be: the Cortina circuit would be built – but the Olympic races would still take place abroad under pressure from the IOC!

Source : Blick