Speedskaters from Team USA are calling out the ice conditions at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics, alleging that it's not suitable for high-speed events like short track speedskating.
Corinne Stoddard, the world's No. 3 ranked speedskater, expressed her concerns about the ice quality during NBC's broadcast. "This ice isn't the best for short track right now," she said. "I think it's pretty much figure skating ice." The ice, which is commonly used for figure skating, was deemed too soft and slushy to handle the demands of high-speed short track racing.
Team USA teammate Julie Letai echoed Stoddard's sentiments, describing the exit as a struggle for many athletes. "I mean, it's slushy, it's soft. It's clear that once you're reaching high speeds, it's not just one or two people, it's a lot of people struggling through that exit," she said.
Other Team USA speedskaters, Brandon Kim and Andrew Heo, also expressed their frustration with the ice conditions. "I think it's pretty soft," Kim said. "It's breaking down really fast. We're alternating the ice with figure (skating), so the ice is kind of breaking down really quickly." Heo added that he was slipping on the ice himself and described it as "a little bit soft."
The issues with the ice conditions are not limited to Team USA, however. British speedskater Niall Treacy fell and collided with Canada's Steven Dubois during the men's 1000m short track race.
As the Olympics continue, many athletes will be relying on a safe and suitable ice surface. With concerns raised by multiple teams about the ice conditions at the Milano-MSK Competition Rink, it remains to be seen whether any changes can be made before the Winter Games conclude.
Corinne Stoddard, the world's No. 3 ranked speedskater, expressed her concerns about the ice quality during NBC's broadcast. "This ice isn't the best for short track right now," she said. "I think it's pretty much figure skating ice." The ice, which is commonly used for figure skating, was deemed too soft and slushy to handle the demands of high-speed short track racing.
Team USA teammate Julie Letai echoed Stoddard's sentiments, describing the exit as a struggle for many athletes. "I mean, it's slushy, it's soft. It's clear that once you're reaching high speeds, it's not just one or two people, it's a lot of people struggling through that exit," she said.
Other Team USA speedskaters, Brandon Kim and Andrew Heo, also expressed their frustration with the ice conditions. "I think it's pretty soft," Kim said. "It's breaking down really fast. We're alternating the ice with figure (skating), so the ice is kind of breaking down really quickly." Heo added that he was slipping on the ice himself and described it as "a little bit soft."
The issues with the ice conditions are not limited to Team USA, however. British speedskater Niall Treacy fell and collided with Canada's Steven Dubois during the men's 1000m short track race.
As the Olympics continue, many athletes will be relying on a safe and suitable ice surface. With concerns raised by multiple teams about the ice conditions at the Milano-MSK Competition Rink, it remains to be seen whether any changes can be made before the Winter Games conclude.
, how's that gonna affect speed skaters? USA team is straight up saying figure skating ice isn't suitable for short track events. Maybe they should switch to a better surface or train elsewhere?
. I get why they're frustrated - who wants to risk injuries on a dodgy ice surface? 
But at the same time, it's not just about them, it's about all the athletes competing in short track speedskating. The fact that even British speedskater Niall Treacy fell and collided with someone is a big deal 
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. Maybe some changes will be made before it's too late 
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i'm not surprised, tbh 
i mean, if speedskaters are saying its not suitable for short track then i trust them, you know? 
i've been watching some of their vids and it looks super tricky to navigate that ice. figure skating is one thing but short track is a whole different level of fast and furious 
! i hope they can get the ice conditions sorted out before the Olympics tho, safety first, you feel? 
! It's like they're competing on a different sport altogether 
. I mean, can you imagine if figure skaters complained about the ice being too fast? 
But seriously, it's super concerning that many athletes are struggling with the slushy and soft ice conditions.
But if it's not safe for them to compete at high speeds, what's the point? 
Those athletes put in so much hard work and dedication, they shouldn't have to deal with this kind of uncertainty 
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I mean, come on! The Olympics are supposed to be super high-level events where you need top-notch facilities. It's not like they're just gonna throw some slushy ice out there and expect everyone to deal with it. I get that figure skating ice can work for figure skaters, but short track speedskating is a whole different beast! You gotta have the right surface or people are gonna get hurt, plain and simple.
. The fact that it's too soft and slushy for short track speedskating is one thing, but what if someone gets hurt because of it? 
. I'm all for a good ol' fashioned competition, but safety should always come first 
. Can't we just get it together for once?
. I don't blame them for being frustrated, especially when you see British speedskater Niall Treacy taking a spill 
The US team is speaking out, now we'll see how the organizers respond 
. I hope they can get some changes made before the Winter Games are over 
. It's all about safety first for those athletes 
Who needs that kind of risk? Not me, that's for sure 
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the fact that corinne stoddard said it's "pretty much figure skating ice" says a lot about how soft and slushy it is. I've seen pics of the athletes struggling to exit the track, and it looks super sketchy 
i hope they step up their game before the games conclude... can't imagine competing on that surface 
. Ice maintenance for a major event like the Olympics is no joke; you gotta balance speed with safety. Maybe they just need to tweak their ice-making formula or something? 
It's just not meant to be, you know? I'm all for innovation and progress, but sometimes these new technologies just don't cut it. Let's hope they can iron out the issues before the Winter Games 
. I feel 4 team usa, they r all sayin the same thing - this ice is a disaster! 
& now someone got hurt 
The recent criticisms of the ice conditions at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics from Team USA speedskaters raise some legitimate concerns