Prosecutors have opened a manslaughter investigation following the death of a security guard at a construction site for the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Pietro Zantonini died during a night shift between 8 and 9 January at the Cortina d’Ampezzo ice rink venue in the Italian Alps.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belluno is investigating potential “manslaughter with possible aggravating circumstances related to environmental and safety conditions”.
While a post-mortem indicated the cause of death was a heart attack, the victim’s family allege that freezing temperatures of -12C contributed to the tragedy.
Questions over working conditions
The 55-year-old was employed by SS Security & Bodyguard to patrol the facility, which is being prepared for the 2026 Games.
Michele Grassi, the security firm’s director, has been named as a suspect in the inquiry, according to reports in Corriere delle Alpi.
It is alleged Zantonini was stationed in a cabin with a small heater but was required to leave the shelter to conduct inspections every two hours.
The guard reportedly informed a colleague he was suffering from breathing difficulties shortly before he collapsed.
Paramedics attended the scene and attempted CPR, but Zantonini could not be saved.
Autopsy findings and family claims
Initial medical examinations attributed the death to an “acute cardiac event” and noted it was “difficult to attribute” the fatality directly to hypothermia.
However, further investigations are scheduled to take place before the end of May to determine if the extreme cold and working environment were contributory factors.
Zantonini’s family claim he had previously expressed concerns regarding long night shifts and inadequate protection against the elements.
“Those factors necessitate a thorough judicial investigation and bring the issue of safety and working conditions on construction sites and in services related to major events back to the forefront, particularly in view of the 2026 Winter Olympics.”
Statement from the Zantonini family
Official response
Organisers have previously pointed to natural causes regarding the incident.
Andrea Varnier, CEO of the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, stated: “The information we have is that it was a death by natural cause, it was a heart attack. And we are investigating.”
Matteo Salvini, Italy’s Infrastructure Minister, has called for a “full and rigorous investigation” into the death.
Local officials in Cortina added that they were “deeply saddened and troubled” by the loss of the worker.
American skier Lindsey Vonn has revealed she narrowly avoided having her left leg amputated following a high-speed crash in the women’s downhill at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
The 41-year-old disclosed on Monday that her injuries extended significantly beyond the complex tibia fracture initially diagnosed.
Vonn crashed just 13 seconds into her run on 8 February after clipping a gate and suffering a heavy impact.
Compartment syndrome trauma
The former Olympic champion developed compartment syndrome, a critical condition where excessive pressure builds within muscles due to bleeding or swelling.
If untreated, the restriction of blood flow can lead to permanent tissue damage and loss of the limb.
“When you have so much trauma to one area of your body so that there’s too much blood and it gets stuck and it basically crushes everything,” Vonn stated.
She credited Dr Tom Hackett, an orthopedic surgeon for Team USA, with performing an emergency fasciotomy to salvage the limb.
“He filleted it open [and] let it breathe, and he saved me,” she added.
‘He saved my leg’
Hackett was only present in Cortina because the US skier was competing despite recently tearing the ACL in her left knee.
“If I hadn’t had done that, Tom wouldn’t have been there [and he] wouldn’t have been able to save my leg,” Vonn explained.
In addition to the leg trauma, the American also suffered a broken right ankle during the incident.
Vonn confirmed she has now been discharged from hospital to begin her recovery.
Eileen Gu has successfully defended her Olympic ski halfpipe title to claim a historic sixth medal in six Winter Games events.
The 22-year-old, born in the United States but competing for China, is now the most decorated freeskier in the history of the sport at the Olympics.
She secured victory in Livigno, Italy, with a dominant performance that underscored her consistency on the world stage.
Dominance in Italy
Gu won the event on the strength of a technically sound second run before improving further in her final attempt.
The freestyle star pumped her ski poles in celebration after landing her last trick, finishing with a commanding score of 94.75.
This latest triumph adds to the two silver medals she has already collected at the Milan Cortina Games.
Her haul in Italy complements the two golds and one silver she won at the Beijing Games four years ago.
A perfect podium record
China secured a one-two finish on the podium as Gu’s teammate Li Fanghui took the silver medal.
Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin finished in third place to claim bronze.
The final had been rescheduled to Sunday following a heavy snowstorm the previous night, but the delay did not hamper Gu’s path to gold.
Winter Olympics: USA win aerials gold as favourites China take bronze
The United States have won gold in the mixed team aerials at the Beijing Winter Olympics after heavy favourites China suffered a shock collapse to take bronze.
Chris Lillis produced a stunning final jump to help the American trio secure the top spot on the podium.
China had been widely expected to dominate the event after winning gold in both individual singles competitions earlier in the Games.
A shock landing for the hosts
However, a disastrous missed landing proved costly for the hosts, seeing their hopes of a clean sweep of the aerials titles vanish in an instant.
The Asian nation’s mistake allowed the US team to capitalise and claim a memorable victory on the snow.
Despite the home crowd’s anticipation of another gold, the error relegated the pre-tournament favourites to third place.
Lillis delivers under pressure
Lillis held his nerve when it mattered most to execute a high-difficulty trick that pushed his team’s score beyond reach.
His decisive contribution ensured the Stars and Stripes were raised above the frantic competition.
The result marks a significant upset in the skiing schedule given China’s recent dominance in the discipline.
Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin is targeting freeski halfpipe gold at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics as she looks to surpass the bronze medal won by her sister Izzy in 2018.
Redemption following Beijing struggles
The 23-year-old arrives in Livigno as the heavy favourite after qualifying in top spot for the halfpipe final.
Her longtime rival and defending champion, China’s Eileen Gu, could only manage fifth place in qualification.
It marks a significant turnaround for the Stanford student, who finished a disappointing ninth on her debut at Beijing 2022.
That experience was marred by travel chaos, with a delayed Covid test causing her to miss her initial flight to the Games.
“I didn’t know what to expect and I was very young,” Atkin recalled regarding her teenage debut.
“I had a lot of pressure on myself, a lot of expectations, and definitely didn’t perform the way I wanted to.”
“But with the Olympics it’s only once every four years. So it’s a little bit of a tough pill to swallow.”
World champion form
The reigning world champion enters the final in formidable form, having claimed X Games gold just weeks before the Olympics began.
Atkin believes she has now found a more “process-oriented mindset” compared to the anxiety of her teenage years.
“I think going into this Games, I’ve been a lot more established and confident,” she added.
Sibling rivalry drives success
Beyond personal redemption, the younger Atkin sibling is fueled by a desire to outdo her family’s achievements on the snow.
Her sister Izzy made history at Pyeongchang 2018 by winning bronze in the slopestyle, claiming Britain’s first-ever Olympic medal on skis.
“Definitely, we have a little bit of a sibling rivalry going on,” Zoe admitted.
“She was a really big role model for me growing up. There is also that competitiveness.”
Team GB’s historic haul
A victory for the halfpipe specialist would add to what has already been a record-breaking Games for Team GB.
The squad has secured three gold medals so far, smashing the previous best of one at a single Winter Olympics.
However, teammates Kirsty Muir and Mia Brookes have suffered agonising fourth-place finishes, adding pressure on the remaining medal hopefuls.
Alongside Atkin, the men’s curling squad are also guaranteed to bring home silverware, having already secured at least a silver medal.
Lindsey Vonn has undergone a fifth surgery on her fractured left leg after returning to the United States following her crash at Milano Cortina.
The 41-year-old was flown back to the US this week after receiving initial treatment at an Italian hospital.
Vonn struck a gate at high speed just 13 seconds into the women’s downhill event, resulting in a severe fracture.
She was airlifted from the course and underwent four procedures in Europe before being cleared to travel home.
Pain management struggles
Upon her return, the American skier underwent another operation which lasted more than six hours.
The four-time World Cup overall champion provided a health update on social media platform X, admitting her recovery has been challenging.
“Just a quick update… My last surgery went well. It took a little over six hours,” she wrote.
“I have been recovering from the surgery but pain has been hard to manage.”
Vonn thanked fans for their continued messages of support.
“Making slow progress but I hope I can be out of the hospital soon. Thank you all for the support.”
Rehabilitation journey
This latest procedure was Vonn’s first since arriving back on US soil following the accident.
The most successful female ski racer in history has faced a long list of injuries throughout her decorated career.
She previously described the difficulties she faced during the journey home following her fourth surgery at the weekend.
Freestyle skiing star Eileen Gu has secured a silver medal in big air for China, adding to her Olympic tally while navigating intense scrutiny regarding her decision to switch allegiance from the United States.
The 22-year-old landed the podium finish on Monday to claim the fifth major accolade of her career.
She will return to competition on Saturday in the freeski halfpipe finals as she looks to add to her medal haul.
A divided allegiance
Born in San Francisco, the multi-talented athlete was a member of the US Ski & Snowboard team until the 2018-19 season.
Her move to represent the nation of her mother’s birth has sparked fierce debate across social media platforms.
While some critics have questioned her loyalty, others view her autonomy as a triumph for modern athlete empowerment.
International regulations permit such transfers, and the practice remains common across global sport.
Team USA itself features athletes who have previously competed for nations including Canada and Ukraine.
Commercial success and cultural impact
Beyond the slopes, the Stanford University undergraduate has cultivated a lucrative portfolio of endorsements in both hemispheres.
Her dual-market appeal has generated millions in revenue, establishing her as a cultural touchstone in both Beijing and Washington.
The freestyle specialist maintains that her primary motivation was to inspire a new generation of female athletes in Asia.
She has frequently cited a desire to increase representation where it was previously lacking.
“The US already has the representation. I like building my own pond.”
Eileen Gu, speaking to Time magazine
Despite the noise surrounding her nationality, her performance on the snow remains world-class.
Hunter Hess qualifies for Olympic halfpipe final amid political row
American freeskier Hunter Hess made a pointed gesture to cameras after qualifying for the Olympic halfpipe final in response to Donald Trump labelling him a “loser”.
The 27-year-old successfully completed his run before making an “L” shape with his left hand and pointing to it with his right.
“Apparently, I’m a loser,” he said immediately afterwards.
Hess had faced threats to his family after becoming embroiled in a major political controversy at the start of the Games involving the former US President.
Using criticism as motivation
The freeskier stated he used the high-profile spat as fuel for his performance on the snow.
“I worked so hard to be here. I sacrificed my entire life to make this happen,” Hess explained.
“I’m not going to let controversy like that get in my way.”
Despite the friction, the Team USA athlete insisted he remains proud to wear the national colours.
“I love the United States of America. I cannot say that enough,” he added.
“My original statement, I felt like I said that, but apparently people didn’t take it that way.”
USA seeking elusive gold
Hess was one of four US skiers to reach the 12-man final at the Livigno Snow Park.
The squad is aiming to secure their nation’s first gold medal in nearly two weeks of skiing and snowboarding events.
However, the buildup for the team has been dominated by off-piste distractions.
The dispute began when athletes were asked about representing their country during the Trump administration’s heightened immigration enforcement.
Hess had stated he felt he represented the US “if it aligns with my moral values”.
“Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.,” he noted at the time.
Trump’s social media response
Those comments drew a sharp rebuke from Mr Trump on Truth Social.
He described the skier as a “real loser” who “shouldn’t have tried out for the team”.
After retreating to Laax in Switzerland for training to escape the noise, Hess admitted the period took a toll.
“I had a week that was pretty challenging,” he confessed.
“There was a lot of noise and I’ve never been subject to that kind of criticism.”
Hess maintained he has no regrets regarding his initial comments and remains focused on the upcoming final.