With just eight remaining until the Winter Olympics kick off in Milano Cortina, skiers like Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn are gearing up to take on the Dolomites and fight for gold. But before that happens, there’s one skiing federation that’s dealing with an internal crisis at the last minute.

As reported by The Korean Times, the police are currently investigating a number of recent race-fixing allegations that were reported by a local newspaper earlier in the month. the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) has confirmed that it’s taking the allegations “very seriously” and is cooperating with the investigation.

This decision is rooted in the philosophy of KSOC President Ryu Seung-min, who has consistently emphasized that “fairness is not a choice but a core value of sports.”

The controversy centers on two separate allegations. In the first, a ski cross coach is alleged to have ordered an athlete to intentionally interfere with other competitors during a race, which would boost the final placements of athletes training at the coach’s private academy.

The second is regarding a former head coach of the national para snowboard cross team, who is accused of exerting pressure to secure a spot on the national squad for his daughter for the upcoming 2025-2026 season.

“We view the recent controversy in skiing very seriously. We have consistently stressed that fair play is not simply a matter of choice but is fundamental in sport. We will not accept any behavior that hurts integrity and the spirit of fair play. We will do our best to help restore trust in the national team selection process and overall operations,” the official statement by the KSOC read.

The controversy came a year later with allegations surrounding eight members of KSOC for misconduct that also included former President Lee Kee-heung. In addition to past issues, the current situation arose when the KSOC signed a cooperative pact with the Saudi Olympic & Paralympic Committee, which replaced South Korea as the host of the 2029 Asian Winter Games.

However, leaving the controversies behind, there’s a far bigger issue that is looming around the skiing venue in Milano Cortina.

Fresh concerns around a skiing venue at the Winter Olympics

The construction of the Apollonio to Socrepes cableway is still underway, with just a few days remaining until the Winter Olympics. Indeed, this is the same gondola that is designed to connect Cortina’s town center with the base of the Socrepes ski area.

It will provide the primary access point to the women’s Alpine skiing venue on the slope of Olympia delle Tofane, where fans will be waiting to see players like Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn in action.

The entire system is set to have 53 10-seater cabins. These will ascend over ten towers and three stations, and it is also capable of moving 3,000 people per hour in under four minutes throughout the 1.33 km (~0.82 miles) route.

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SIMICO CEO and commissioner Fabio Saldini didn’t confirm the completion time for it but said, “The legacy I hope for—and are working towards—is not just about construction, but about balance. Balance between development and landscape protection, between mobility and livability, between international appeal and the quality of daily life for residents.”

He added, “The legacy must be a more accessible, safer, less congested Cortina, capable of managing large flows without losing its character. From an infrastructure point of view, the legacy must mean better connections, more efficient services, and modern but integrated facilities that continue to function well, even when the lights of the Games go out.”

The construction of the venue has faced various issues, such as ground fractures, landslide risks, and legal challenges. Only time will tell if it will be ready and safe for the skiers, who will be chasing that gleaming gold at the pinnacle of their sport.