IOC happy as new Milan Cortina hockey arena almost ready to welcome NHL players

MILAN (AP) — The International Olympic Committee says it's impressed with the new hockey arena for the Milan Cortina Games, even if parts of it still look like a building site.

The Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena will be one of the focal points of the games next month with NHL players returning to the Olympics for the first time in more than a decade.

However, the venue has also been the focal point of the buildup with construction delays and other matters causing concern.

It is finally ready — or at least almost.

The ice rink is in place and most of the seating, but there is still an abundance of plastic sheeting, while some areas such as the locker rooms are far from finished.

“What I see personally is an extraordinary seating bowl and this venue … looks fantastic,” IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi said Sunday. “The last time I came was before Christmas, and this is radically different. So, so much progress. Anyone involved here, hat off.

“There’s only one way to go, and that is the view of the experts … and what they tell us, first class.”

The NHL has previously expressed concern about ice quality due to construction delays with deputy commissioner Bill Daly saying the league would not send its players if there were any safety concerns.

The IOC shared some of those worries.

“Although we were facing a lot of difficulties, we always had a very strong plan,” Dubi said. “Now having a plan does not mean that you’re going to get there, but there was so much oversight and so much expertise thrown at this venue with probably the best engineers, the best Ice Meister, everything that could be thrown at that venue was thrown.

“So, did I ever have doubts? No. Was I concerned? Certainly. Because if you were here six months ago it didn’t look this way I can tell you. It’s incredible what they’ve done, really incredible.”

Dubi was speaking on the final day of a long-awaited, three-day test event at the arena.

The original test event scheduled in December didn’t happen because of the construction delays. The one scheduled this weekend — the final league and cup games of the domestic season — is less than a month out from the women’s competition.

The NHL is expected to release a statement at the end of its visit to the new arena, with a delegation having spent time here over the past three days.

The International Ice Hockey Federation can see no barrier to the NHL returning to the Olympics for the first time since 2014, especially after having simulated Olympic conditions at the test event with three matches a day on Saturday and Sunday.

“We know how it’s difficult to have a high level of quality of ice for the third game of the third period. Yesterday that was a good test because that was fantastic, the puck was sliding, it was not bumping,” IIHF President Luc Tardif said. “So we’ll go back in Zurich happy and confident.

“We’re going to make a report, but yesterday that was a test, so there is no reason that NHL will not come … We want to make sure about the quality of ice, the security for the players, doesn’t matter where they come from. So now I can say we’re ready for the competition.”

The players themselves said they were happy with the quality of the ice.

Canadian James Livingston, who plays for the Wipptal Broncos, said he was sure his compatriots in the NHL would be fine.

“I mean we all grew up playing on ponds back in Canada, so I’m sure that whatever gets thrown at them, they’re gonna adapt and they’re gonna enjoy it,” he told The Associated Press. “And they are playing for their country. So, I think it will be a great competition.”

The men’s Olympic hockey tournament is scheduled from Feb. 11-22, the women’s from Feb. 5-19.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/winter-olympics

Wipptal Broncos Canadian player James Livingston poses at the Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena, in Milan, where Ice Hockey discipline of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will take place, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Luc Tardif, IIHF President talks to reporters at the Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena, in Milan, where Ice Hockey discipline of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will take place, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Christophe Dubi, IOC Olympic Games Executive Director, talks to reporters at the Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena, in Milan, where Ice Hockey discipline of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will take place, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

An outside view of constructions site of the Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena, in Milan, where Ice Hockey discipline of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will take place, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

An outside view of the Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena, in Milan, where Ice Hockey discipline of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will take place, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

VADODARA, India (AP) — Virat Kohli scored a masterful 93 off 91 balls as India won the first ODI against New Zealand by four wickets on Sunday.

Kohli hit eight fours and a six to shepherd India’s innings to 306-6 in 49 overs in reply to the Black Caps’ 300-8 (50 overs). Daryl Mitchell top-scored for the visitors with 84 off 71 balls.

Pacer Kyle Jamieson picked up 4-41 in 10 overs as India’s chase suffered hiccups in the final stages. But Harshit Rana scored 29 off 23 balls as Lokesh Rahul and Washington Sundar helped finish off the game in the hosts' favour.

Rahul scored 29 not out off 21 balls, hitting two fours and a six to finish off the game with six balls to spare.

This was after Devon Conway (56) and Henry Nicholls (62) put on 117 runs for the first wicket, but New Zealand lost its way thereafter with five wickets for 81 runs.

With the win, India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The second ODI will be played in Rajkot on Wednesday.

Put in to bat, New Zealand made a brilliant start. Conway and Nicholls started watchfully, with the latter surviving a dropped catch. Then, the duo attacked as 100 came up in 119 deliveries.

Both openers reached 50 off 60 balls, and then looked to press on. Rana got the breakthrough against the run of play when Nicholls was caught behind chasing a wide delivery.

Conway played on but was also bowled off Rana two overs later. Mohammed Siraj then had Will Young caught behind for 12 as New Zealand was down to 146-3.

Mitchell held the innings together with a fine half-century off 51 balls, even as the middle-order struggled to get going.

None of the lower-middle order batters crossed 20, until debutant Kristian Clarke scored 24 off 17 balls.

Along with Mitchell, who hit five fours and three sixes, they did just enough to help New Zealand breach an unlikely 300-mark.

In reply, Rohit Sharma started off with three fours and two sixes, scoring 26 off 29 balls. He put on 39 for the first wicket with skipper Shubman Gill, who struggled for timing.

Sharma mistimed off Jamieson in the ninth over and was out caught. Kohli then came to the crease and powered his way to 50 off just 44 balls.

Gill also found form and reached 50 off 66 balls, as the duo put on a dominant 118 runs off 107 balls for the second wicket.

Wrist spinner Adithya Ashok had Gill caught in the 27th over against the run of play. It didn’t faze India as Kohli calmly added 77 off 76 balls with Shreyas Iyer (49 off 47 balls) for the third wicket.

India faltered in the final phase though as Jamieson struck three times in quick succession. First, Kohli was out caught at mid-off seven short of his century. Five balls later, Ravindra Jadeja hit straight to mid-on.

Jamieson then bowled Iyer to reduce India to 242-5. Rahul and Rana added 37 off 31 balls, with the latter benefitting from a dropped catch.

Despite Rana’s dismissal, Rahul stayed calm to finish off the game as New Zealand faltered in the field.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

New Zealand's captan Michael Bracewell gestures during practice session ahead of first One Day International cricket match against India in Vadodara, India, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

India's captain Shubman Gill during a practice session ahead of the first One Day International cricket match against New Zealand in Vadodara, India, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)