Olympic Flame Lighting Ceremony forced indoors for first time in more than half a century

Bad weather has meant organisers of the Milan Cortina 2026 have had to move the event to light the Torch indoors for the first time since 1968, Philip Barker reports from Ancient Olympia

Although Ancient Olympia was bathed in winter sunshine on Monday afternoon, the forecast of two days of heavy rain has forced organisers of the Milan Cortina 2026 Flame Lighting Ceremony to move the event indoors to Olympia’s Museum of the Ancient Olympics.

It is the first time that such a measure has been necessary in 58 years.

The announcement was made after a Flame was kindled successfully by High Priestess Mary Mina in an “emergency” rehearsal which took place in the Temple of Hera in the precincts of the archaeological site.