Cortina Asks to Postpone Next Winter’s World Championships to 2022

26th May 2020

Last modified on May 14th, 2021

It is the first concrete sign that next winter is likely to be very different in the mountains.

It had been hoped to bill the Championships as a celebration of things returning to normal.

They are held every two years and were set to take place in Italy from February 9th to 21st in 2021.

Now the Italian Winter Sports Federation has made a formal request to postpone the 2021 event until March 2022.

It would likely mean rearranging the World Cup calendar for part of the season.

The resort will be hosting many of the on-snow events for the 2026 Winter Olympics and the Championships will be used as test run for the Winter Games so having favourable conditions is useful.

Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malago revealed his position in a TV interview.

“This is the best solution,” he said in order to avoid the Championships being cancelled or shortened.

“It’s a decision in which we both lose but we realise this is the best — or maybe the only thing — to do.”

The Italian Federation said the decision to make the proposal was made jointly by the organising committee in Cortina, the Veneto region and the Italian government.

It will be up to the International Ski Federation (FIS) to make the final decision.

FIS considered the request at its Spring Council meeting held online on Monday.

It said due to the multiple implications, the matter had to be carefully analysed by all the stakeholders: the Local Organising Committee, the Italian Winter Sports Federation (FISI), FIS and Infront Sports & Media.

The position will be reviewed on 1st July.

Many other event organisers across the mountains, from sporting competition to musical concerts, are wondering what next season my look like with social distancing and other measures if coronavirus is still present.

Related stories:

What may a ski holiday look like next winter? Part One.

What may a ski holiday look like next winter? Part Two.