The City of Milan has offered to hold the speed skating events at the Fiera Milano Exhibition Centre following the withdrawal of Baselga di Pinè ©Fiera Milano Exhibition Centre

The City of Milan has offered to hold the speed skating events at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games it is co-hosting with Cortinad'Ampezzo at the Fiera Milano Exhibition Centre after the announced withdrawal of the original planned venue in Baselga di Pinè.

The offer was made by the Mayor of Milan Guiseppe Sala while visiting the construction site for the Athletes’ Village in the Porta Romana district, and it has since been officially presented to the Milan Cortina 2026 Organising Committee.

Sala had led opposition to the speed skating being re-located to Turin at Oval Lingotto, which was built for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games when Italy last staged the Winter Olympics. 

Plans to hold the speed skating at Baselga di Pinè were scrapped after authorities said the cost of redeveloping the site for the Olympics, estimated at between €70 million (£62million/$75million) and €75 million (£65.5million/$80million), was deemed too expensive.

Milan's Mayor Milan Guiseppe Sala has offered his city as a possible alternative venue for speed skating rather than them being moved to Turin ©Getty Images
Milan's Mayor Milan Guiseppe Sala has offered his city as a possible alternative venue for speed skating rather than them being moved to Turin ©Getty Images

The City of Milan proposes to use two of its 20 pavilions from the vast complex designed by the architect Massimiliano Fuksas and constituting one of the largest exhibition sites in the world, La Repubblica reported.

A temporary ice rink with a 400 metres long track would be installed, along with 7,000 to 8,000 places for spectators and all required logistical support.

The proposal by the municipal authorities will now be submitted for approval to the International Olympic Committee and the International Skating Union, which will then judge the feasibility,  advisability and economic prudence of the plans.

The exhibition centre is already involved in the organisation of the 2026 Winter Games, with pavilions vouchsafed to house the International Broadcast Centre and the Main Press Centre.