The Italian Winter Sports Federation was making a formal request on Monday to postpone next year’s world Alpine skiing championships in Cortina d’Ampezzo until March 2022.
Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malagò revealed the plans during an interview with RAI state TV on Sunday night.
Considering the fallout in Italy from the coronavirus pandemic, Malagò said “this is the best solution” in order to avoid the championships being canceled or shortened.
“It’s a decision in which we both lose but we realize this is the best — or maybe the only thing — to do,” Malago said.
The Italian federation confirmed that the proposal would be presented during an International Ski Federation (FIS) board meeting Monday. The Italian federation added that the decision to make the proposal was made jointly by the organizing committee in Cortina, the Veneto region and the Italian government.
It will be up to FIS to decide on any postponement.
Cortina was already forced to cancel the World Cup Finals in March this year due to the advancing virus, which has now accounted for more than 30,000 deaths in Italy.
Moving the worlds to March 2022 would put the event one month after the Beijing Olympics and likely force FIS to cancel that season’s finals in Méribel and Courchevel, France.
The Cortina worlds are currently scheduled for Feb. 7-21, 2021.
Worlds are usually held every other winter, in odd years.
Cortina is also slated to host Alpine events during the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.
MORE: Anna Veith retires, leaves Austrian Alpine skiing in unfamiliar territory
OlympicTalk is on Apple News. Favorite us!
