With the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics just over a year away, significant concerns are emerging. International Ski Federation (FIS) President Johan Eliasch has warned that funding shortfalls and climate pressures threaten the quality and success of the Games.
In an interview with Reuters, Eliasch said several Olympic venues are experiencing “technical difficulties.” He emphasised these issues are not due to local organisers but stem from a “lack of funding from the Italian government.”
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— Olympic Khel (@OlympicKhel) December 23, 2025While Games organisers maintain that venues will be ready on time, Eliasch stressed that “readiness alone was not enough.” He warned that funding constraints risk pushing preparations past critical “tipping points,” compromising the experience for athletes and spectators.
Eliasch framed Italy’s challenges as symptomatic of deeper structural problems facing the Winter Olympics. Rising costs, climate change, and underused infrastructure are fueling calls within international sports bodies for a fundamental overhaul.
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— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) December 20, 2025He advocated a permanent rotating-host model. Under this system, a small pool of established venues would host the Winter Games regularly. Proponents argue that this model would enable long-term planning, significantly reduce spending, and ensure consistent conditions. It would also avoid the common issue of hosts building expensive facilities that see little use after the Games.
The warning comes amid unusually warm temperatures in the European Alps, raising concerns about the reliability of natural snow. This underscores the growing climate pressure on winter sports and the increased reliance on energy-intensive snowmaking, which further escalates costs.
