In one year’s time Italy will be welcoming the world to the Winter Olympics, but a sizeable number of athletes could instead be competing for medals more than 4,000 miles away in the United States.
The sliding centre in Cortina – which will stage bobsleigh, skeleton and luge – is facing a race against time to be ready.
The venue is being completely rebuilt on a century-old track at a cost of more than £72m, sanctioned by the Italian government.
The official deadline is March for when the new track must have been iced, tested and certified. Lake Placid in New York state is the confirmed alternative, despite world class tracks including Igls in Austria and St Moritz in Switzerland being considerably nearer.
Andrea Varnier, chief executive of Milan-Cortina 2026, told BBC Sport: “We checked all available venues and the only one that was ready without the need for investment and able to host us at the last minute was Lake Placid.
“That is the reason why it’s the plan B, but we really intend to stay in Cortina as much as possible.”
Varnier admitted it would be a “mutilated Games” if the sliding events could not be held in Italy.
“That’s what we feel,” he said. “It’s good for the athletes, good for the spectators to have the atmosphere [in Cortina].”
But he remained hopeful, adding: “We are progressing and we are monitoring together with the International Olympic Committee.”
