Olympic hockey teams in Milan face huge last-minute problem

One week out from the start of the Milan Olympic women’s hockey tournament, progress is finally visible at Santagiulia Arena. Insider Chris Johnston shared encouraging updates on Thursday, noting that construction has advanced significantly since the first test events earlier this month. Logos and markings have now been painted on the ice, a sign that the rink is nearly ready for the high-stakes tournament.

This news comes after early tests of the ice earlier in January revealed serious issues. Observers noticed that the surface was soft and snowy, and a large hole even developed in front of one of the goals, conditions that could have posed risks to player safety and game integrity.

However, not all updates will sit well with fans. Gino Reda, on last night’s Insider Trading on TSN, revealed a major issue that could affect thousands of spectators. The rink was originally designed to seat 14,000 fans, but the IIHF now reports that only about 11,800 seats will be available.

“If Canada faces the United States in the gold-medal final, how would you like to be the guy telling over 2,000 people that their seat doesn’t exist?” Reda asked, highlighting the difficult position for organizers and disappointed fans alike.

I mean, the arena is already sold out for the final games… How are they going to handle the angry fans? What if they are players’ family members?

What a nightmare…

Despite the seating shortfall, the arena itself has made remarkable strides. The scoreboard has been updated, the ice markings are in place, and the venue is structurally ready for Olympic play. For players and officials, the improvements are a relief. For fans, however, the missing 2,200 seats could be a tough pill to swallow, especially if demand peaks during marquee matchups…