Overview
- In an open letter, foundation president Giovanni Malagó said every previous Winter Olympic gold medalist has been or will be contacted and used as a torchbearer.
- The pledge followed a public outcry led by 1994 cross-country champion Silvio Fauner, who called the omissions an “incredible insult.”
- Organizers previously said Fauner was not selected because he holds local office, citing political activity as an exclusion criterion.
- Vice‑Prime Minister Matteo Salvini and Sports Minister Andrea Abodi summoned organizers to a videoconference and said they received assurances that the most representative athletes would be included.
- Criticism of the selection deepened as non‑winter‑sport figures such as AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri appeared among the 10,001 torchbearers traversing all 110 provinces, while separate voices faulted the Games’ dispersed venue plan.