Is Winter Olympics safe? Italian rail chaos raises security alarm

The opening day of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics was marred by a coordinated sabotage campaign targeting northern Italy’s critical railway network, causing severe travel disruptions for thousands of spectators.

Italian officials have started an investigation into three distinct incidents that are allegedly linked to the Winter Games.

Early Saturday, February 7, involved a fire in the cabin housing a track switch near Pesaro on the Adriatic coast.

Several hours later, police came upon severed electrical cables that were used for speed detection near the major transport hub of Bologna, as well as a crude explosive device left by the side of nearby tracks.

The attacks prompted delays of up to two-and-a-half hours for high-speed, intercity, and regional service, causing the temporary closure of Bologna’s high-speed station.

Bologna’s high-speed station is considered a major junction connecting Italy’s east-west and north-south lines.

Italy’s Transport Ministry, led by Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, condemned the acts as “serious sabotage.”

Salvini drew a parallel comparison with similar attacks in the past. Earlier, France’s TGV network, during the opening of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, stated: “similarities in action and timing.”

Salvini said: “These actions of unprecedented seriousness do not in any way tarnish Italy’s image in the world.”

However, no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, which are termed as coordinated, and they occurred at a time when the massive Olympic event, which has its venues largely located across the Alps and Dolomites and relies on rail connectivity, began its first full day of competition.

Services are slowly returning to normal, especially as Saturday afternoon approaches and authorities are boosting security on the transport network.