(Il testo seguente è tratto integralmente dalla nota stampa inviata all’Agenzia Opinione) –
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**Milano Cortina 2026 chiarisce la selezione dei tedofori: escluso Fauner per carica politica**
**Il Comitato Organizzatore risponde alle critiche dell’ex fondista, attualmente vicesindaco di Sappada**
With regard to the comments made by former cross-country skier Silvio Fauner on the selection method for torchbearers for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Torch Relay, the Organising Committee would like to provide some clarification.
It is important to note that, while we have the utmost respect for his extraordinary sporting history, Fauner was not invited to take part in the Relay because he currently holds a political office (Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Sappada), a condition that falls within the preliminary exclusion requirements set out and clearly specified in the regulations published on the Milano Cortina 2026 website.
The achievement of our national team at the 1994 Olympic Games in Lillehammer remains one of the most iconic moments in Italian sport.
To pay tribute to that historic team victory, Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 invited the other three great protagonists of that feat to carry the Olympic Torch, one of whom has already run in the Aosta stage.
From the outset of the project, the Organising Committee has placed the great champions of Italian sport at the centre of the Torch Relay.
This principle has been translated into concrete choices since the inaugural moments of the journey between Olympia and Athens, which featured great icons of the world 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, Mirko Vuillermin, 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 medallists, many of whom belong to winter disciplines and different generations.
Their participation has helped to make this journey a true celebration of Olympic values and the sporting history of our country.
The athletes’ involvement will continue in the coming weeks, according to a programme designed with care, balance, and respect for individual availability.
