Delays for Winter Olympics skiing events ‘unexplainable’: ski boss
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International Ski Federation (FIS) president Johan Eliasch watching on during the women's downhill at the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup at Val d'Isere in France on Dec 20, 2025.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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ROME – The president of the International Ski Federation (FIS), Johan Eliasch, bemoaned on Dec 20 the delays in preparations at the Milano-Cortina Olympic venues that will host skiing and snowboarding events.
With less than 50 days to go before the Feb 6-22 Winter Olympics, he told journalists in Val d’Isere that “not everything is ready”.
“The Italian government and the regions that organise the Games, they have a lot of work to do and they need to speed things up,” Eliasch said.
The main cause for concern is the Livigno site, which is to host the snowboarding and freestyle skiing events.
On Dec 16, the Milano-Cortina Games organising committee acknowledged to AFP that it had encountered “a technical problem” with the production of artificial snow at the site, which was already causing concern.
“We have calls three times a day, morning, noon and night,” Eliasch revealed.
“And part of the issue here (Livigno) is snow production. They’ve had a number of delays, and again, it’s not for lack of trying.
“Unfortunately, the Italian government has not released funding, so they have been struggling to make ends meet, which is very unfortunate. It should never have happened. It’s unexplainable.”
Eliasch called the situation unprecedented.
“Hopefully we’ll get that back on track. We have contingency plans, plan B, plan C, plan D even. Hopefully that will be enough.
“But again, I mean, it’s unfortunate that we are in a situation that we should never have been in.”
In response to Eliasch’s comments, Livigno Mayor Remo Galli said the delays were caused by a technical problem.
“We’ll have all the snow we need to have a great Olympics. In fact, we’ll have much more,” he told Italian news agency ANSA.
“It was necessary to replace a valve, but it was done within the timeframe, and all the snow guns have been operating for a few evenings.
“We’re doing well, for Livigno and for Italy. And then in the next few days, temperatures will drop further, even to 20 below zero, so I’m not at all worried.”
In order to cover the Livigno Snow Park with snow and create the modules, jumps and half-pipes needed for the snowboard and freestyle skiing events, the organisers have to produce large quantities of artificial snow.
Their snow cannons are supplied with water from a hillside reservoir, the Monte Sponda basin, with a capacity of 203,000 cu m, which cost €21.7 million (S$32.9 million) to build and was completed at the end of November.
Artificial snow production was initially scheduled to begin last week. AFP, REUTERS
