A 'COMPLEX' WINTER OLYMPIAD

Political tensions, sustainability-suitability struggle mark Milano-Cortina build-up

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The Cortina Sliding Centre was newly constructed for the bobsleigh, skeleton and luge events at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. Construction was completed just in time for the Feb 6-22 Games in Italy.

(PHOTO: Reuters)

The 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics open on Feb 6, as the Games return to their traditional heartland of the European Alps for the first time in 20 years.

A host of existing venues will be used, meaning they will stretch for 350km across northern Italy from Cortina d'Ampezzo - one of the world's iconic skiing locations - to Milan, with other “clusters” spread throughout the Alps.

Organisers say that avoiding new construction meets the sustainable brief for an event often accused of creating white elephants, but they admit it has added complexity too.

The first Olympics since the reelection of US President Donald Trump are set to be buffeted by global turbulence.

Italy has maintained that it will retain control of all security operations after it emerged that a branch of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement will be sent to Italy in an “advisory” role, sparking anger in the host nation.