MILAN, Italy (Reuters) -A controversial new sliding centre for next year’s Milano-Cortina Winter Games has exceeded expectations despite having been built under extremely tight deadlines, the International Olympic Committee said on Wednesday.

Italy decided to build a new sliding centre in Cortina for the Olympics starting on February 6 despite the IOC’s vocal opposition, given the time needed and the multi-million euro cost involved. It had suggested that organisers could shift the competition to another country and an existing sliding centre.

Italy refused to move any Olympic competition outside the country, however, and opted to build a new one.

“The sliding centre has surpassed expectations,” said Kristin Kloster, head of the IOC’s coordination commission for the 2026 Games.

“We had

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