The Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, under the direction of Matteo Salvini, has attributed the incidents recorded this Saturday on the northern Italian railway network, which caused numerous delays, to possible “sabotage” linked to the Winter Olympic Games.
According to a statement, the ministry described as “worrying” the “serious episodes of sabotage that occurred this morning at the Bologna and Pesaro stations,” which affected thousands of travelers.
The official text indicates that these “actions of unprecedented gravity” recall the “acts of terrorism” that impacted the Paris railway network during the opening of the 2024 Olympic Games.
During the day, rail traffic in the northern area, especially in Bologna, experienced severe delays due to various incidents that the authorities are investigating as acts of sabotage related to the Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina.
Delays reached up to 150 minutes on regional and high-speed trains bound for cities such as Turin, Milan, Venice and Brescia, according to Ferrovie dello Stato.
The first incident was recorded at 8:30 local time (7:30 GMT) after cables were found torn off on the Castel Maggiore railway network, near Bologna.
Later, an explosive device was located on the tracks between Bologna and Padua, and a fire was reported in an electrical cabin at the Pesaro station.
The investigations point to alleged sabotage of anarchist origin, not considered isolated events, with the aim of interfering in the Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina, inaugurated the day before.
Previously, the minister and vice president Salvini had denounced an “attack” from Bormio, a town where he was watching the Olympic downhill alpine skiing competition.
“I read news that in Bologna there has been an attack on the railway network that is delaying everything. It is an act of crime. If it is confirmed that the interruption of the high speed train is due to a premeditated attack, on the first day of the Olympics, it will mean that there are those who do not appreciate Italy,” he declared.
The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games were officially inaugurated this Friday by Sergio Mattarella, president of the Republic of Italy.
“I declare officially opened the twenty-fifth edition of the Winter Olympic Games,” said Mattarella from the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium (SanSiro) in Milan where the opening ceremony took place.
The words of the Italian president were followed by the performance of Andrea Bocelli, who performed ‘Nessun dorma’ from the opera Turandot while Giuseppe Bergomi and Franco Baresi, former players of Inter and Milan, respectively, entered the scene to hand the torch to the Olympic volleyball champions Anna Danesi, Paola Egonu and Carlotta Cambi.
The torch then left San Siro and, after a message of peace from the South African and American Charlize Theron, inspired by Nelson Mandela, the two cauldrons of these Games were lit.
These cauldrons, which preside over two emblematic places in both host cities, were lit by skiers Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni, both three-time Olympic champions, at the Peace Arch in Milan; and by skier Sofia Goggia, 2018 Olympic champion, in PiazzaDibona in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
It is the first time in history that the Olympic Games have two cauldrons guarding two different flames.They are also the largest Games ever, with 22,000 square kilometers.
The main venue for the opening ceremony of these Olympic Games was the legendary Giuseppe Meazza Stadium (San Siro) in Milan, in what was its last major event before being demolished for the construction of a new stadium.
The ceremony, with performances by Laura Pausini, Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli, among other artists;with a tribute included to the late Giorgio Armani, it lasted more than three and a half hours with the parade included of the 92 delegations, divided between the cities in which the different events will be held, something also unique in the history of Olympic sports.
