The original track was used for bobsleigh events at the Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956 Winter Olympics, but closed in 2008 and had fallen into disrepair.

Milan Cortina 2026 has controversially planned a new track to host bobsleigh, luge and skeleton events at the next Winter Olympics on the same site, at a cost of €80 million (£70.8 million/$85 million) - nearly double initial estimates.

With demolition having started, it is hoped that the new facility can be ready to stage test events in the 2024-2025 season.

The Milan Cortina 2020-2026 Infrastructure Company (SIMICO) has claimed it represents "essential, non-deferable" work and the track would be integrated into the local landscape and enhance the culture of winter sports in the region.

SIMICO chief executive Luigi Valerio Sant'Andrea said that work is "proceeding according to the scheduled time".

Critics have questioned the new sliding centre's environmental impact and the venue's legacy.

A protest appeared at the site, with a banner reading "no pista de bob", translating to "no bobsleigh track".

This was later removed.

Veneto regional Councillor Cristina Guarda, Senator Aurora Floridia and Deputy Luana Zanella questioned the need for the project.

"The demolition of the bobsleigh track Eugenio Monti certifies how this policy has definitively lost reason and common sense," they said, as reported by News In Quota.

"We consider it absurd that in the midst of an emergency caused by the energy crisis, one can easily consider spending €100 million (£88.5 million/$106.4 million) of public money for a new plant whose only guaranteed prospect is negative, with annual losses of thousands of euros, as already 2020 reported by the International Olympic Committee which, starting from the approval of the dossier, signalled the prospects for a deficit and suggested, ignored, not to proceed with the construction of a new bobsleigh track."

The International Olympic Committee had initially expressed reservations over the sliding centre project and recommended alternative venues such as Innsbruck in Austria and St Moritz in Switzerland, but its Evaluation Commission granted approval in April 2021.

Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini recently hit out at delays to construction under the previous Government led by Mario Draghi, but insisted 80 per cent of the work would be completed in "good time".

The 2026 Winter Games host nation elected Brothers of Italy's Giorgia Meloni as Prime Minister last year, and she is widely viewed as the country's most right-wing leader since the Second World War.

Bobsleigh, luge and skeleton are not the only sports who have faced uncertainty over their venue for Milan Cortina 2026.

Plans to build an expensive roof over the Baselga di Pinè outdoor rink for speed skating were rejected, and the sport appears set to stage its events at the Fiera Milano Exhibition Centre in Milan.

The Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games are scheduled to take place from February 6 to 22 2026, followed by the Paralympics from March 6 to 15.