The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has formally informed the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps (CIPRA) that there is no need to build a new bobsleigh track for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina. CIPRA had raised a number of critical questions earlier this year concerning the organization and, above all, the construction plans for Milano-Cortina 2026. Most important to CIPRA appears to be the IOC’s unequivocal statement that it has never called for the construction of a new bobsleigh facility in Cortina. On the contrary: In its response letter dated March 20, 2023, the IOC states: “In the case of the bobsleigh track in Cortina, we believe that no new facility needs to be built for the Winter Olympic Games, but that an existing facility in the region or in another country should be used.” With regard to the decision to build a new facility in Cortina, the IOC emphasizes that it was simply presented with a fait accompli: “Once it [the bobsleigh track] is built, it would be unreasonable – regardless of the IOC’s assessment – not to use it.”
In the interests of the population and the environment, which is always severely affected by Winter Games, CIPRA is therefore now calling on the organizing committee of Milano-Cortina 2026 to obtain an offer from the operators of the bobsleigh facility in Igls near Innsbruck to hold the 2026 competitions on their bobsleigh track. ”Refusing to do so would be proof of their unprofessional approach and evidence of the imminent, senseless squandering of public money on a new building whose estimated cost of over €100 million is constantly being revised upwards,” CIPRA said in its latest statement. In addition, according to the Alpine Protection Commission, it is questionable whether the bobsleigh track in Cortina could even be completed on time. After all, the track must be available as early as in the 2024/25 winter season, as prior World Cup races are required as a test run on a new Olympic track.
According to CIPRA, the best thing about a more cost-effective staging in Igls (renovation and reconstruction of the Innsbruck facility prior to the 2026 Winter Games was recently estimated at around €27 million): The bobsleigh and luge competitions there would also be entirely in the spirit of Milano Cortina 2026 – without causing any additional damage to Cortina’s environment, which will become increasingly important for tourism in the future.
