Italy finishing preparations for Olympics' first multi-city Games, starting Feb. 6 작성일 01-08 16 목록 <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/01/08/0000082782_001_20260108163908835.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">A general view shows the Olympic rings on the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, which will host the curling and wheelchair curling events as well as the Paralympic closing ceremony during the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games 2026, in Cortina, Italy on Jan. 25. [REUTERS/YONHAP]</em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> The Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, set to begin on Feb. 6, marks Italy’s third time hosting the Winter Games following the 2006 Torino and 1956 Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympics. It will also be the first Olympic Games — Winter or Summer — to be jointly hosted by two cities. <br> <br> Breaking from its tradition of single-city hosting, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has split events between Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, which are about 420 kilometers (261 miles) apart. Ice sports will take place in Milan, while snow sports will be held in Cortina. <br><br>Organizers have divided the venues into four clusters. The Milan cluster more to the west includes the opening ceremony at San Siro Stadium and will host figure skating, short track and ice hockey. <br> <br> Toward the east, he Cortina d’Ampezzo cluster will feature women’s Alpine skiing, biathlon, sledding and curling. The Valtellina-Bormio cluster is dedicated to men’s Alpine skiing, ski mountaineering, freestyle skiing and snowboarding. <br> <br> Ski jumping, Nordic combined and cross-country skiing will be held in the Val di Fiemme cluster. Finally, the closing ceremony will be held at the Olympic Arena in Verona, located roughly midway between Milan and Cortina. <br> <br> This regional venue distribution is part of the organizing committee’s plan to make the Olympics the most sustainable and resource-efficient Games in history. <br> <br> <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/01/08/0000082782_002_20260108163909186.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Greek actress Mary Mina, playing the role of the High Priestess, lights the Olympic torch during the handover Olympic flame ceremony for the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games and Paralympic Games at the Panathinean stadium in Athens, Greece on Dec. 4, 2025. [AFP/YONHAP] </em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> Drawing on the legacy of Italy’s previous Winter Games, over 95 percent of the venues are being repurposed, expanded or renovated rather than built from scratch. Only two new facilities have been constructed for the event: the Santa Giulia Arena in Milan, an ice hockey-specific venue, and the Cortina Sliding Center for sledding events. <br> <br> Medals will be crafted from metals recovered from waste, and the Olympic torch will be made from recycled aluminum and brass alloy. <br> <br> IOC member Kirsty Coventry praised the committee’s emphasis on sustainability and recycling, calling the strategy “a new normal for hosting the Olympics” and expressing hope that the data collected from this year’s Games would “will guide us for the future.” <br> <br> Yet challenges remain. With less than a month to go, some venues are still under construction. Inadequate preparation may affect athletes’ performance and increase injury risks, prompting concern from observers. <br> <br> <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/01/08/0000082782_003_20260108163909368.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">A general view of the construction site of the PalaItalia Santa Giulia ice hockey arena, which will host the hockey and para hockey competitions at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, in Milan, Italy on Dec. 1, 2025. [REUTERS/YONHAP] </em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/01/08/0000082782_004_20260108163909541.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Construction work is seen at the Ski Area Mottolino, which will be called Livigno Snow Park, venue for Freestyle and Snowboarding disciplines, at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy on Jan. 16. [AP/YONHAP]</em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> The Santa Giulia Arena, where the ice hockey final will take place, is nearing completion after construction was delayed by nearly a month. The venue has drawn added scrutiny as it will host top stars from the NHL returning to the Olympics for the first time in 12 years. <br> <br> The delay was caused by a change in the rink’s specifications. Since the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, the International Ice Hockey Federation has adopted NHL rink standards — 61 meters in length and 26 meters in width — to encourage NHL participation. However, it was later discovered that the Milan rink was one meter shorter in length, sparking controversy. <br> <br> Following a standoff between the organizers and the NHL, the original design was eventually upheld, costing the project over a month in delays. <br> <br> <div class="ab_photo photo_center "> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/01/08/0000082782_005_20260108163909731.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry speaks during the opening of an IOC executive commission meeting at the Olympic House in Lausanne on Dec. 9, 2025. [AFP/YONHAP]</em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> As a result, a test event scheduled for last December was held at an alternate venue. With time running short, there is growing concern that the new arena may not have time to adequately test critical features such as ice quality, locker room conditions, amenities and player flow. <br> <br> The Livigno Snowpark, set to host snowboarding and freestyle skiing events, has also fallen behind schedule due to low snowfall. The area has seen significantly less natural snow than anticipated, forcing organizers to add more artificial snowmaking systems and delaying construction. <br> <br> Creating a snow slope involves multiple layers: first spraying snow, then compressing it and finally covering it with a fresh layer. This process must be carried out thoroughly to ensure consistent snow quality regardless of weather fluctuations. <br> <br> Organizers have deployed 53 snow cannons to accelerate snow production. But with the slope hurriedly prepared, its final quality remains uncertain. <br><br><i>This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.</i> 관련자료 이전 '엘리트 선수 사망' 충북 마라톤대회 안전관리 책임자 송치 01-08 다음 플레이오프 ‘단골손님’ 캔자스시티와 마홈스가 없다…11일 막 여는 NFL 플레이오프, 누가 슈퍼볼로 향할까 01-08 댓글 0 등록된 댓글이 없습니다. 로그인한 회원만 댓글 등록이 가능합니다.
