Protest staged in Milan two years before it hosts Winter Games

MILAN :Around 300 people marched in Milan on Saturday to protest over the environmental impact of the Winter Olympics that will be held in northern Italy in 2026.

The protest was organised by a group calling itself the "Unsustainable Olympics Committee" and demonstrators in the crowd held painted signs reading "Fake Snow Real Profit".

The Games will be held in two main locations - Milan itself and the Alpine ski resort of Cortina D'Ampezzo, and the protesters said that a large area would suffer damage because of the construction work needed.

"The projects related to sports and road infrastructure that have not yet started....can still be blocked, also because they will never be ready for the 2026 Winter Games," protester Elio Catania said.

Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said last week that he was increasingly worried about delays in preparations for the Olympics that will run from Feb. 6-22 in 2026.

The Italian authorities have just signed a deal with a construction firm to build a sliding track in Cortina, aiming to resolve a long-running area of delay and uncertainty.Warmer winters in Italy are also making it more difficult to guarantee snow cover without resorting to cannons to produce an artificial variety.