Olympic CEO has 'absolutely no doubt' that sliding events will be held in Cortina d'Ampezzo

The Associated Press

· Posted: Mar 31, 2025 8:09 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hr ago

With the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics little than a twelvemonth away, organizing committee CEO Andrea Varnier said helium has "absolutely nary doubt" that sliding sports volition beryllium held successful Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, aft investigating went good past week.

There was interest that the venue for bobsled, luge and skeleton mightiness not beryllium acceptable successful clip for adjacent February's Games. The International Olympic Committee adjacent demanded a Plan B enactment that could person the events moved to Lake Placid, New York, if things fell apart.

The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation said past week's investigating play astatine the way was "successful." Now, Varnier is assured astir the gait rebuilding the century-old sliding centre is on.

"We were ever precise optimistic, but until the pre-homologation (testing) of course, determination were a batch of doubts astir us," helium said. "But we were confident, and we're precise blessed now."

Officials from the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation, International Luge Federation and the International Olympic Committee volition find whether the way receives authoritative preliminary certification.

Last week's events were capable to permission Varnier successful bully spirits. Completion is scheduled for Nov. 5, past determination would beryllium homologation and handover to Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 to clasp the Games. Before the Olympics, the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation and International Luge Federation are acceptable to usage the caller way for planetary grooming and trial events.

Varnier said it is important that the sliding sports beryllium held successful Cortina to amended the acquisition for those involved.

"Very blessed due to the fact that that would beryllium perfect for the athletes to beryllium each together, to enactment unneurotic successful Cortina," helium said. "Will beryllium perfect for the spectators who volition person a much genuinely Olympic acquisition successful Cortina, and besides for for the media and each the operators that — it would person been precise hard to travel those sliding sports determination other successful the world."