Rome, Jan 13 (LaPresse) – “It is important to remember that, while fully respecting his extraordinary sporting history, Fauner was not invited to take part in the relay because he currently holds a political position (Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Sappada): a condition that falls within the preliminary exclusion criteria, clearly specified in the regulations published on the Milano Cortina 2026 website.” This was stated to LaPresse by the Milano-Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee, clarifying the comments made by former cross-country skier Silvio Fauner regarding the method of selecting torchbearers for the Olympic Flame Journey.
“The achievement of our National Team at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Games,” continues the Foundation chaired by Giovanni Malagò, “remains one of the most iconic moments in Italian sports. Precisely to pay tribute to that historic team victory, the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation invited the other three key figures of that achievement to carry the Olympic Torch, one of whom has already run in the Aosta stage. From the very beginning of the project, the Organizing Committee placed the great champions of Italian sport at the center of the Flame Journey. This principle has translated into concrete choices since the initial stages of the route between Olympia and Athens, which featured major icons of winter sports such as Stefania Belmondo and Armin Zoeggeler. The same spirit has guided the Italian stages, with the involvement of leading figures such as Caterina Banti, Stefano Baldini, Mario Armano, Marco Albarello, Vuillermin Mirko, and many others.”
“In the first 36 stages of the journey, the relay has already hosted a significant number of Italian champions, including numerous Olympic medalists, many of whom compete in winter disciplines, and from different generations. Their participation has helped make this journey a true celebration of Olympic values and the sporting history of our country. The involvement of athletes will continue in the coming weeks, according to a program designed with care, balance, and respect for individual availability,” concludes Milano-Cortina.
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