Italy’s Transport Minister Matteo Salvini has expressed concern over “serious acts of sabotage” that disrupted train services in central Italy, potentially linked to the opening of the Winter Olympics.
Police are investigating three incidents that caused damage to railway lines near Bologna and are considering a possible connection to the Milan-Cortina Games, according to the ANSA news agency.
A police spokesperson confirmed to AFP that a fire at a rail switch on the Bologna-Venice line was likely started deliberately, but noted no one has yet claimed responsibility.
“These serious acts of sabotage near the Bologna and Pesaro stations this morning, which caused significant disruptions for thousands of travellers, are alarming,” Salvini said in a statement.
He recalled a similar railway sabotage incident in France that paralysed high-speed train networks just hours before the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics in July 2024.
When asked if there was specific evidence of a link to the Milan-Cortina Olympics, a spokesperson for Salvini told AFP, “There are similarities in the method and timing” compared to the Paris event.
Salvini, who heads the far-right League party and serves in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s coalition government, assured that he is “closely monitoring the situation.”
The opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics took place on Friday evening in Milan, while sporting events are being held both in the city and in northern Italy’s mountainous regions.
Alleged acts of sabotage or arson have previously been blamed for delays on Italy’s railway network, though such claims have not always been substantiated.
