Concerns have emerged over snow availability for skiing events at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, with International Ski Federation (FIS) president Johan Eliasch flagging problems linked to artificial snow production. He attributed the issue to delays in funding releases by the Italian government, calling the situation difficult to explain.
Livigno central to Olympic programme
The concern centres on Livigno Snow Park and the Aerials and Moguls Park, both of which will host a major share of the Olympic programme. A total of 26 gold medals will be decided across snowboarding and freestyle skiing events staged at the Livigno venues during the February Games.
Mayor plays down fears
Livigno mayor Remo Galli has pushed back against the warnings, insisting preparations remain firmly on track. Speaking to Italian news agency Ansa, Galli said the delay was caused by a technical fault, not a structural failure in planning or funding.
“We’ll have all the snow we need to have a great Olympics. In fact, we’ll have much more,” Galli said, explaining that a faulty valve had been replaced and snow-making equipment was now fully operational.
Weather expected to assist snow-making
Galli added that falling temperatures would further ease concerns, with forecasts suggesting conditions could dip to minus 20 degrees Celsius in the coming days. “All the snow guns have been operating for a few evenings,” he said, expressing confidence in Livigno’s readiness.
Heavy reliance on artificial snow
The Livigno venues depend heavily on manufactured snow to construct halfpipes, jumps and technical courses required for snowboarding and freestyle disciplines, making uninterrupted snow production critical to Olympic timelines.
Backup plans in place
Despite his criticism, Eliasch said contingency measures were already prepared. “We have a plan B, a plan C, and a plan D,” he said, while describing the funding delay as “inexplicable” and frustrating for organisers. “It’s unfortunate to find ourselves in a situation we should never have been in.”
Broader Olympic concerns surface
The issue follows wider worries surrounding the 2026 Games. Earlier this month, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly warned that ice hockey players would not participate in the Olympics unless concerns over ice quality were resolved.
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