A ROMAN arena older than the Colosseum has been given a controversial revamp for the Winter Olympics.
The Arena di Verona in will host next year’s Milano-Cortina Paralympics after being made fully accessible to people with disabilities.
The Arena di Verona is getting a controversial revamp for the Winter ParalympicsCredit: Alamy
The historic site is older than the Colosseum in RomeCredit: Getty
The 2,000-year-old monument has been hailed by chiefs as the “symbol” of the upcoming tournament.
It is set to host the Paralympics’ opening ceremony on March 6, with the one taking place a month earlier at the
But a major conversion to the Arena di Verona has now left fans divided.
The structure, which predates the by 47 years, will controversially be fitted with an elevator and new toilets.
The project is expected to cost £17.5million to complete.
And according to Paralympic chiefs themselves, the changes have received a mixed reception from spectators.
Chief executive Andrea Varnier said: “The decision to stage the opening ceremony in the Arena di Verona is not just an aesthetic one, although we like to showcase such a beauty.
“But it was also an idea to make the arena accessible, plus the entire route from the railway station to the venue.
“Now they’re going to build an elevator, which for the purists of classic monuments, this is a blasphemy to build an elevator in a Roman amphitheatre.
“But now that will be there. And we think it’s part of things that change. It’s also a very strong message.”
It appears the changes are hitting ticket sales too, with Varnier admitting numbers are way off Winter Games figures.
He noted: “Spectators are focused on the Winter Games and this is a bit unfortunate because we would love to see ticket sales going really in parallel.
“Unfortunately it’s always like this and we were not able to disrupt this pattern. So we still need to trigger the ticket sales but we are very confident because we are exactly in the same position as our colleagues were in Paris, so it’s normal.”
On the Games’ potential success, Varnier added: “In some ways it’s already been a success because of the legacy we’ll leave.
“To grow winter sports is more challenging and we know that. But we hope we will give another small brick in making this an even larger and more widespread movement for everyone.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
I'm dedicated to creating high-quality content that informs, inspires, and delights. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to get in touch. Happy reading!
