“Troubling and serious”
Sabotage on the Olympic ice channel
Updated on 02/22/2025 – 11:21 a.m.Reading time: 1 min.
Unknowns damage the construction site of the controversial ice channel-the Olympic project continues to be delayed?
Almost a year before the 2026 Winter Olympics, there are again problems related to the controversial ice channel in Cortina d’Ampezzo. According to the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure, there was an act of sabotage on the construction site of the bob and toboggan run on Friday night. Unknowns loosened a large cooling tube, which then blocked a street and made access to the construction site considerably difficult.
The construction project in Cortina has long been a reason for discussions. Despite criticism from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Italy sticks to the new bobsleigh and toboggan run, which should cost around 82 million euros. The IOC had spoken out for a more sustainable solution and proposed to carry out the competitions in existing trains in Switzerland, Austria or Germany. But Italy insisted to carry all disciplines in their own country.
The Ministry of Infrastructure in Rome reacted sharply to the incident: “What happened in Cortina, where unknown persons sabotaged the bobsleigh, is worrying and a serious matter. Those who try to harm the Olympic Winter Games in front of the eyes of the whole world . The state cannot be intimidated, “it said in a message. The damage is “engraving”, it said.
When the project announced, the IOC had expressed doubts as to whether the train would be finished in good time. Now the recent incident could trigger further delays. An inspection of the IOC is scheduled for next Monday, in which the committee wants to get an idea of the construction progress.