WINTER OLYMPICS organisers have admitted a major Milan ice hockey arena will NOT be fully finished in time for the start of the Games.
The Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena is due to host its first match just days from now, but parts of the venue remain a building site.
BBC Sport visited the arena late last week and found dust, rubbish and construction materials scattered both inside and outside the stadium.
Roads around the venue were still closed, while workers raced against the clock to get key areas ready.
Despite the chaos, Winter Olympics chiefs insist there is no danger of matches being moved elsewhere.
Executive director of the International Olympic Committee Christophe Dubi said it was “absolutely certain” that all scheduled games would be played at Santagiulia.
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Dubi added: “Do we have every single space in that venue finished? No. And is everything in that venue needed [for the matches to take place]? No.”
“No-one’s experience will be tainted by anything that needs to be painted after the games. Anything that is public facing will be top.
“Do we still have works to do? Yes, cleaning absolutely. There are still works ongoing, frantic as you say but it is to make it a great venue.”
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The Games are set to begin on Friday, with Italy set to face France in the opening women’s ice hockey match and the men’s and women’s gold medal games also pencilled in for the venue.
Inside the 11,800-seat arena, hospitality suites, food stalls and media areas remain incomplete.
There are currently no seats in the press section, while lifts and toilets are still wrapped in plastic and look unfinished.
Electricity and running water are operational, but the venue is far from polished.
The rink itself has sparked controversy after being approved despite NOT meeting the NHL’s minimum size requirements.
Because the ice surface is shorter, critics fear it could lead to more high-speed collisions between players.
Questions have also been raised about the quality of the ice.
Santagiulia is one of two new ice hockey venues being built for the 2026 Games.
The second, Milano Rho Arena, will host some group-stage matches and has a much smaller capacity.
Rho holds around 5,800 fans – roughly 6,000 fewer than Santagiulia.
With the clock ticking, organisers remain confident.
But with unfinished facilities and safety concerns, Santagiulia will be under intense scrutiny once the event begins.