Perched at 44e floor of one of the many modern glass-clad skyscrapers that define the Milan landscape sits, incongruously, a ski chalet.
There ” baita “, built from pieces of wood salvaged from a forest devastated by a powerful storm that swept through northern Italy in 2018, is the headquarters of the organizing committee of the Winter Olympics Milan-Cortina 2026 .
The offices are adorned with the famous Olympic rings, which can also be found on the magnetic cards given to visitors when they enter the building. But on the outside, the signs that suggest the arrival of the Winter Olympics in Milan in just under three years are rather discreet.
The 50,000 square meter site that will host the Palitalia, where the hockey matches are to take place, is currently just a vacant lot abandoned. And work is just beginning on the very spot where the Athletes’ Village will be built.
Deadlines “respected”
The organizing committee has already admitted that delays have accumulated due to the coronavirus pandemic and the explosion of costs, in particular caused by the war in Ukraine. But according to the executive director of the Olympics, Christophe Dubi, there is nothing to be worried about.
“What you don’t see is what gives us a lot of time,” Dubi said in an interview with The Associated Press. It is the administrative tasks, the obtaining of permits and the awarding of contracts to the companies that will develop the project. »
“Once it gets under way, it will go very quickly… But I want to be clear, the timelines that were provided to us have been respected so far. They have been so far, and they will have to continue to be so, ”he added.
And the director at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has already indicated that his organization will closely monitor the progress of projects to ensure that deadlines are met.
“What is essential is that we constantly monitor progress. You have to achieve all the objectives set, because that’s how you control the development of projects, he explained. So there is nothing to be worried about. But, as in everything, you have to be ready for anything, and that’s what we strive to do. »
“New era” of the Winter Games
It will be the first time since 2006 that Italy will host the Olympic Games. And since the list of countries that can host Winter Games is constantly shrinking due to climate change, Dubi said the IOC is considering establishing a rotation of host countries — he called this shift a “new era” in the Olympics, who will bet “on what already exists”.
“The territory should not have to adapt to the Olympics, it is rather the opposite that should happen,” he said. We will learn many lessons from the experience in Milan-Cortina, and decisive decisions will have to be made for the future. »
“For example, should we establish a rotation of host countries for the future? Is it interesting for the winter sports disciplines, interesting for the host countries? We believe so. Northern Italy in 2006, in 2026, Sapporo, Salt Lake City are all destinations interested in this project. Is there a trend emerging from the places where we have already invested in the past, a desire to host the Olympics again in the future? We have to look into that. »
Dubi added that this is part of the reason the IOC is taking its time before announcing the identity of the host country for the 2030 Winter Games.
Sweden, which lost to Milan-Cortina’s bid for the 2026 Olympics, is one of the favorites for 2030, although Dubi said five other countries have expressed interest – but not the appoint.
“The executive committee said to us, ‘Hey, wait a minute. You wait for a few months, you come back to us and you suggest strategic solutions.” Whether it’s in 2024 or later, that’s not what matters. We have to choose the right approach, he continued. Imagine these Olympics [à Milan-Cortina], which were granted seven years ago. Some might say that we could do more with less… If everywhere we go, everything is already in place, 100%, then there is no reason to award the Olympic Games seven years in advance. So we are not pressed for time. We want to make the right decision. »