IOC Rejects Italy's Plan to Host Bobsled Events for Olympics, Likely to Stage in Austria or Switzerland

IOC cites lack of viable future for Cesana track and stress need for a clear legacy plan, with Switzerland's St. Moritz or Austria's Igls being likely choices for bobsled events.

• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has rejected suggestions that Italy could host ice sliding events at its home 2026 Winter Olympics, with the events now set to take place in either Austria or Switzerland.
• The rejection follows proposals from Italian officials to renovate the mothballed Cesana track, used for the 2006 Turin Winter Games, which the IOC deemed not viable due to lack of a clear legacy plan and the cost entailed.
• The readjustment of the bobsled, luge, and skeleton events location comes after the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympics organizers scrapped a delayed and increasingly costly plan to revive the legacy Cortina sliding track.
• The IOC reiterates that only existing and operating tracks should be considered for Olympic events, noting that the current number of sliding centers is sufficient for the existing line-up of athletes and competitions.
• The move to host bobsled events in a different country than the host nation aligns with the logistical spread of the 2026 Winter Games, with the Milan to Cortina journey times ranging from four to six hours.

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