Overview
- Greece formally handed the flame to Milano‑Cortina organisers at Athens’ Panathenaic Stadium after a nine‑day Greek relay that followed the Nov. 26 lighting in Ancient Olympia.
- The flame landed in Rome on an ITA Airways flight and was carried off by tennis champion Jasmine Paolini and organising chief Giovanni Malagò.
- A cauldron lighting at the Quirinale is scheduled Friday in the presence of President Sergio Mattarella, with IOC president Kirsty Coventry expected to attend.
- The Italian relay starts Saturday from Rome’s Stadio dei Marmi with 10,001 torchbearers, covers landmarks including the Colosseum and Venice’s Grand Canal, reaches Cortina on Jan. 26, and concludes at Milan’s San Siro on Feb. 6.
- Venue readiness remains under scrutiny, with Milan’s Santa Giulia arena targeting January delivery and a Jan. 9–11 test event, and FIS flagging Livigno’s snowmaking permits as organisers insist sites will be ready.