Ice hockey proving the top attraction as ticket sales approach 1.2 million

MILAN, Feb 2 : Almost 1.2 million tickets have been sold for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics and the Paralympics, local organisers said on Monday, with ice hockey topping the list.

That figure represents around 75 per cent of the total capacity for the Games which open on Friday and will be followed by the Paralympics next month.

The ice hockey will feature players from the North American NHL for the first time since 2014. Organisers are rushing to get the new Santagiulia ice hockey stadium in Milan ready in time for the Games.

Biathlon, which is being staged in Antholz-Anterselva, and the cross country skiing in Tesero are the next highest sellers.

The new Olympic sport of ski mountaineering in Bormio  is already sold out.

(Writing by Keith Weir, editing by Ed Osmond)