View source for 2006 Winter Olympics

{{Short description|Multi-sport event in Turin, Italy}}
{{Redirect2|Torino 2006|Turin 2006|the Winter Paralympics|2006 Winter Paralympics}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox Olympic games|2006|Winter|Olympics|
| image       = Torino 2006 logo.svg
| image_size  = 240
| caption     = Emblem of the 2006 Winter Olympics
| host_city   = [[Turin]], Italy
| motto       = ''Passion Lives Here''<br />([[Italian language|Italian]]: ''La passione vive qui'')
| nations     = 80
| athletes    = 2,494 (1,539 men and 955 women)
| events      = 84 in 7 [[Olympic sports|sports]] (15 disciplines)
| opening     = {{start date and age|2006|02|10|df=yes}}
| closing     = {{start date and age|2006|02|26|df=yes}}
| opened_by   = [[President of Italy|President]] [[Carlo Azeglio Ciampi]]
| cauldron    = [[Stefania Belmondo]]
| stadium     = [[Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino]]
| winter_prev = [[2002 Winter Olympics|Salt Lake 2002]]
| winter_next = [[2010 Winter Olympics|Vancouver 2010]]
| summer_prev = [[2004 Summer Olympics|Athens 2004]]
| summer_next = [[2008 Summer Olympics|Beijing 2008]]
|closed_by=[[President of the International Olympic Committee|IOC President]] [[Jacques Rogge]]}}
{{2006 Winter Olympics}}

The '''2006 Winter Olympics''' ({{langx|it|2006 Olimpiadi invernali}}), officially the '''XX Olympic Winter Games''' ({{langx|it|XX Giochi olimpici invernali}}) and also known as '''Torino 2006''', were a winter [[multi-sport event]] held from 10 to 26&nbsp;February in [[Turin]], Italy. This marked the second time Italy had hosted the [[Winter Olympic Games|Winter Olympics]], the first being in [[1956 Winter Olympics|1956]] in [[Cortina d'Ampezzo]]; Italy had also hosted the [[Summer Olympic Games|Summer Olympics]] in [[1960 Summer Olympics|1960]] in [[Rome]]. Italy is scheduled to host the [[2026 Winter Olympics|Winter Olympics in 2026]] in [[Milan]] and [[Cortina d'Ampezzo]], 20 years after the 2006 event. 

Turin was selected as the host city for the 2006 Games in June 1999. 

Turin is expected to host the [[long-track speed skating]] competitions of the [[2030 Winter Olympics]] at [[Oval Lingotto]], with a project shared with the neighboring regions of the [[French Alps]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-27|title=Olimpiadi invernali 2030: a Torino le gare del pattinaggio di velocità|url=https://www.regione.piemonte.it/web/pinforma/notizie/olimpiadi-invernali-2030-torino-gare-pattinaggio-velocita|access-date=2024-07-30}}</ref> This could mark the first time in Olympic Winter Games history that a city outside the host country is included in the venues plan.

==Host city selection==
{{Main|Bids for the 2006 Winter Olympics}}
Turin was chosen as the host of the Olympics at the 109th [[IOC Session]] in [[Seoul]], South Korea on 19 June 1999.<ref name="Bid archives">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesbids.com/english/archives/past.shtml |title=Olympic Bid Election History—Voting Records and Results |publisher=[[GamesBids]] |access-date=19 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510132655/http://www.gamesbids.com/english/archives/past.shtml |archive-date=10 May 2008 |url-status=live  }}</ref> This decision was the first bidding process, after the [[International Olympic Committee|IOC]] had adopted new election procedures during the 108th Extraordinary IOC Session in light of the controversies surrounding the votes for the [[1998 Winter Olympics|1998]] and [[2002 Winter Olympics]].<ref name="Bid process">{{cite web |url=http://www.worldgames-iwga.org/vsite/vfile/page/fileurl/0,11040,1044-163474-180689-13798-0-file,00.pdf |title=World Games News |publisher=[[International World Games Association]] |access-date=19 April 2007 |date=April 1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070614134114/http://www.worldgames-iwga.org/vsite/vfile/page/fileurl/0,11040,1044-163474-180689-13798-0-file,00.pdf |archive-date=14 June 2007 |url-status=usurped  }}</ref>

Since IOC members were forbidden from visiting the candidate cities (in the interests of reducing bribery), the 109th IOC Session elected a special body, the Selection College, to choose finalist cities from the pool of candidate cities after each had made their final presentations to the full IOC Session.

The full IOC Session then voted on the cities chosen as finalist cities by the Selection College. Although six European cities presented their projects. Only two would advance to the final stage, which was the choice of the host city. At the first phase, all had to make the preliminary presentation in full IOC Session. All the members of the Selection College had to be present at the audience and it was their responsibility to decide which would be the two finalists. They decided that the cities were: the big favorite [[Sion, Switzerland|Sion]] and the dark horse of the process: [[Turin]].<ref name="Bid archives" /> The bids of [[Helsinki]], Finland; [[Poprad|Poprad-Tatry]], Slovakia; [[Zakopane]], Poland; and [[Klagenfurt]], Austria were dropped by the Selection College after all six bidding cities made their presentations.<ref name="Election IOC">{{cite web|url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/torino/election_uk.asp |title=Turin 2006—Election |publisher=[[International Olympic Committee]] |access-date=19 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100609164614/http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/torino/election_uk.asp |archive-date=9 June 2010 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

The selection of Turin over Sion came as a surprise around the world since the Swiss city was seen as the overwhelming favorite in part because the IOC had their headquarters in Switzerland.<ref name="Sion favorite">{{cite news|work=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2006-10-18-hodler-obit_x.htm |title=Olympic corruption whistle-blower Hodler dies |date=18 October 2006 |access-date=19 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604100427/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2006-10-18-hodler-obit_x.htm |archive-date=4 June 2011 |url-status=live  }}</ref> Some analysts attribute the choice of Turin as a reaction to Swiss IOC member [[Marc Hodler]]'s role in exposing the [[2002 Winter Olympic bid scandal|bribery scandal]] surrounding [[Salt Lake City]]'s bid for the 2002 Winter Olympics<ref name="Whistleblower">{{cite news|publisher=Associated Press/[[ESPN]] |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/winter02/gen/news?id=1340126 |title=Italian city prepares for next Winter Olympics |date=24 February 2002 |access-date=19 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604100518/http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/winter02/gen/news?id=1340126 |archive-date=4 June 2011 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

The information below comes from the International Olympic Committee Vote History  {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080525070757/http://www.aldaver.com/votes.html |date= 25 May 2008 }} web page.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ 2006 Winter Olympics bidding results<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gamesbids.com/eng/past.html |title=GamesBids.com - Past Results |date=24 January 2011 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110124022022/http://www.gamesbids.com/eng/past.html |archive-date=24 January 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rgx6Ds_7R0o|title=2006 Winter Olympic Games Announcement|date=30 August 2013 |via=www.youtube.com|access-date=20 December 2016|archive-date=6 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191106233426/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rgx6Ds_7R0o&gl=US&hl=en|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! City
! Country 
| style="background:silver;"|'''Round 1'''
|-
|'''[[Turin]]'''|| '''{{ITA}}'''|| style="text-align:center;" |'''53'''
|-
|[[Sion, Switzerland|Sion]]|| {{CHE}} || style="text-align:center;"|36
|}

==Cost and cost overrun==
''The Oxford Olympics Study'' established the outturn cost of the Torino 2006 Winter Olympics at US$4.4 billion in 2015-dollars and cost overrun at 80% in real terms.<ref>{{Cite book|ssrn=2804554|title=The Oxford Olympics Study 2016: Cost and Cost Overrun at the Games|last1=Flyvbjerg|first1=Bent|last2=Stewart|first2=Allison|last3=Budzier|first3=Alexander|publisher=Saïd Business School Working Papers (Oxford: University of Oxford)|year=2016|location=Oxford|pages=9–13}}</ref> This includes sports-related costs only, that is, (i) ''operational costs'' incurred by the organizing committee for the purpose of staging the Games, e.g., expenditures for technology, transportation, workforce, administration, security, catering, ceremonies, and medical services, and (ii) ''direct capital costs'' incurred by the host city and country or private investors to build, e.g., the competition venues, the Olympic village, international broadcast center, and media and press center, which are required to host the Games. Indirect capital costs are ''not'' included, such as for road, rail, or airport infrastructure, or for hotel upgrades or other business investment incurred in preparation for the Games but not directly related to staging the Games. The cost and cost overrun for Torino 2006 compares with costs of US$2.5 billion and a cost overrun of 13% for Vancouver 2010, and costs of US$51 billion and a cost overrun of 289% for Sochi 2014, the latter being the most costly Olympics to date. Average cost for Winter Games since 1960 is US$3.1 billion, average cost overrun is 142%.

==Sports==
{{Main|Events at the 2006 Winter Olympics}}
The 2006 Winter Olympics featured 84 medal events over 15 disciplines in 7 sports.<ref name="Turin 2006 IOC">{{cite web |url=http://olympic.org/uk/games/past/index_uk.asp?OLGT=2&OLGY=2006 |title=Turin 2006—XXth Olympic Winter Games |publisher=[[International Olympic Committee]] |access-date=18 April 2007 |archive-date=9 June 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060609161212/http://olympic.org/uk/games/past/index_uk.asp?OLGT=2&OLGY=2006 |url-status=live }}</ref> Unlike the previous four editions of the Winter Games, no new sport/discipline was introduced. Eight new events were added in disciplines already on the Olympic program, including mass start in biathlon, team sprint in cross-country skiing, boarder cross in snowboard, and team pursuit in speed skating, all with both men's and women's competitions.<ref name="Events">{{cite web |url=http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_851.pdf |title=Factsheet—Olympic Winter Programme |date=7 February 2007 |publisher=[[International Olympic Committee]] |access-date=18 April 2007| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070418115011/http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_851.pdf| archive-date=18 April 2007| url-status= dead}}</ref> The International Ski Federation introduced an alternating system for cross-country skiing styles in certain events. Long-distance races (30&nbsp;km for women and 50&nbsp;km for men) that were contested in the classic style during the [[2002 Winter Olympics]] were freestyle events in Torino.

The sports and disciplines that were contested at the 2006 Games:
{{div col}}
# '''Biathlon'''
#* {{GamesSport|Biathlon|Events=10}}
# '''Bobsleigh'''
#* {{GamesSport|Bobsleigh|Events=3}}
#* {{GamesSport|Skeleton|Events=2}}
# '''Curling'''
#* {{GamesSport|Curling|Events=2}}
# '''Ice hockey'''
#* {{GamesSport|Ice hockey|Events=2}}
# '''Luge'''
#* {{GamesSport|Luge|Events=3}}
# '''Skating'''
#* {{GamesSport|Figure skating|Events=4}}
#* {{GamesSport|Short track speed skating|Events=8}}
#* {{GamesSport|Speed skating|Events=12}}
# '''Skiing'''
#* {{GamesSport|Alpine skiing|Events=10}}
#* {{GamesSport|Cross-country skiing|Events=12}}
#* {{GamesSport|Freestyle skiing|Events=4}}
#* {{GamesSport|Nordic combined|Events=3}}
#* {{GamesSport|Ski jumping|Events=3}}
#* {{GamesSport|Snowboarding|Events=6}}
{{colend}}
''Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of medal events contested in each separate discipline.''

==Calendar==
:''All dates are in [[Central European Time]] ([[UTC+1]])''
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; font-size:90%;position:relative;"
|-
|style="width:2.5em; background:#00cc33; text-align:center"|'''OC'''||Opening ceremony
|style="width:2.5em; background:#3399ff; text-align:center"|●||Event competitions
|style="width:2.5em; background:#ffcc00; text-align:center"|'''1''' ||Event finals
|style="width:2.5em; background:#ffdead; text-align:center"|'''EG'''||Exhibition gala
|style="width:2.5em; background:#FF8888; text-align:center"|'''CC'''||Closing ceremony
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; font-size:90%; line-height:1.25em;"
|-
! colspan=2|February 
!style="width:2.5em"|10th<br />Fri
!style="width:2.5em"|11th<br />Sat
!style="width:2.5em"|12th<br />Sun
!style="width:2.5em"|13th<br />Mon
!style="width:2.5em"|14th<br />Tue
!style="width:2.5em"|15th<br />Wed
!style="width:2.5em"|16th<br />Thu
!style="width:2.5em"|17th<br />Fri
!style="width:2.5em"|18th<br />Sat
!style="width:2.5em"|19th<br />Sun
!style="width:2.5em"|20th<br />Mon
!style="width:2.5em"|21st<br />Tue
!style="width:2.5em"|22nd<br />Wed
!style="width:2.5em"|23rd<br />Thu
!style="width:2.5em"|24th<br />Fri
!style="width:2.5em"|25th<br />Sat
!style="width:2.5em"|26th<br />Sun
!Events
|-
| colspan=2|[[File:Olympic Rings Icon.svg|20px|alt=|link=]] Ceremonies ||bgcolor=#00cc33 align=center|'''[[2006 Winter Olympics opening ceremony|OC]]'''|| || || || || || || || || || || || || || || ||bgcolor=#FF8888 align=center|'''[[2006 Winter Olympics closing ceremony|CC]]'''||
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 align="left" | [[Image:Alpine skiing pictogram.svg|20px|alt=|link=]] [[Alpine skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Alpine skiing]] 
<!-- 10 -->|  
<!-- 11 -->|  
<!-- 12 -->| bgcolor=#ffcc00|'''1'''
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<!--  T -->| '''10'''
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 align="left" | [[Image:Biathlon pictogram.svg|20px|alt=|link=]] [[Biathlon at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Biathlon]]
<!-- 10 -->|  
<!-- 11 -->| bgcolor=#ffcc00|'''1'''
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<!-- 25 -->| bgcolor=#ffcc00|'''2'''
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<!--  T -->| '''10'''
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 align="left" | [[Image:Bobsleigh pictogram.svg|20px|alt=|link=]] [[Bobsleigh at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Bobsleigh]]
<!-- 10 -->|  
<!-- 11 -->|  
<!-- 12 -->|  
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<!-- 18 -->| bgcolor=#3399ff|●
<!-- 19 -->| bgcolor=#ffcc00|'''1'''
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<!-- 26 -->| bgcolor=#ffcc00|'''1 '''
<!--  T -->| '''3'''
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 align="left" | [[Image:Cross country skiing pictogram.svg|20px|alt=|link=]] [[Cross-country skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Cross country skiing]]
<!-- 10 -->|  
<!-- 11 -->|  
<!-- 12 -->| bgcolor=#ffcc00|'''2 '''
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<!-- 14 -->| bgcolor=#ffcc00|'''2'''
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<!-- 16 -->| bgcolor=#ffcc00|'''1'''
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<!-- 24 -->| bgcolor=#ffcc00|'''1'''
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<!-- 26 -->| bgcolor=#ffcc00|'''1 '''
<!--  T -->| '''12'''
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 align="left" | [[Image:Curling pictogram.svg|20px|alt=|link=]] [[Curling at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Curling]]
<!-- 10 -->|  
<!-- 11 -->|  
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<!-- 13 -->| bgcolor=#3399ff|● 
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<!-- 23 -->| bgcolor=#ffcc00|'''1'''
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<!--  T -->| '''2'''
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 align="left" | [[Image:Figure skating pictogram.svg|20px|alt=|link=]] [[Figure skating at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Figure skating]]
<!-- 10 -->|  
<!-- 11 -->| bgcolor=#3399ff|●  
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<!-- 23 -->| bgcolor=#ffcc00|'''1'''
<!-- 24 -->| bgcolor=#ffdead|'''EG'''
<!-- 25 -->| 
<!-- 26 -->| 
<!--  T -->| '''4'''
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 align="left" | [[Image:Freestyle skiing pictogram.svg|20px|alt=|link=]] [[Freestyle skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Freestyle skiing]]
<!-- 10 -->|  
<!-- 11 -->| bgcolor=#ffcc00|'''1 '''
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<!--  T -->| '''4'''
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 align="left" | [[Image:Ice hockey pictogram.svg|20px|alt=|link=]] [[Ice hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Ice hockey]]
<!-- 10 -->|  
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<!--  T -->| '''2'''
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 align="left" | [[Image:Luge pictogram.svg|20px|alt=|link=]] [[Luge at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Luge]]
<!-- 10 -->|  
<!-- 11 -->| bgcolor=#3399ff|●   
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<!--  T -->| '''3'''
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 align="left" | [[Image:Nordic combined pictogram.svg|20px|alt=|link=]] [[Nordic combined at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Nordic combined]]
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<!--  T -->| '''3'''
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 align="left" | [[Image:Short track speed skating pictogram.svg|20px|alt=|link=]] [[Short track speed skating at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Short track speed skating]]
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<!--  T -->| '''8'''
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 align="left" | [[Image:Skeleton pictogram.svg|20px|alt=|link=]] [[Skeleton at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Skeleton]]
<!-- 10 -->|  
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<!--  T -->| '''2'''
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 align="left" | [[Image:Ski jumping pictogram.svg|20px|alt=|link=]] [[Ski jumping at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Ski jumping]]
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<!--  T -->| '''3'''
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 align="left" | [[Image:Snowboarding pictogram.svg|20px|alt=|link=]] [[Snowboarding at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Snowboarding]]
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<!--  T -->| '''6'''
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 align="left" | [[Image:Speed skating pictogram.svg|20px|alt=|link=]] [[Speed skating at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Speed skating]]
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<!--  T -->| '''12'''
|-
!colspan=2| Total events !! !!4 !!8  !! 4 !! 6 !!4  !! 8 !!3  !! 9 !! 3!! 5 !! 4 !!7 !!5 !! 4 !! 7 !!3 !! rowspan=2|84
|-
!colspan=2|Cumulative total!! !!4  !! 12 !! 16 !!22  !!26  !! 34 !!37  !! 46 !!49  !! 54 !!58  !!65  !!70  !!74  !!81  !!84  
|-
! colspan=2|February 
!style="width:2.5em"|10th<br />Fri
!style="width:2.5em"|11th<br />Sat
!style="width:2.5em"|12th<br />Sun
!style="width:2.5em"|13th<br />Mon
!style="width:2.5em"|14th<br />Tue
!style="width:2.5em"|15th<br />Wed
!style="width:2.5em"|16th<br />Thu
!style="width:2.5em"|17th<br />Fri
!style="width:2.5em"|18th<br />Sat
!style="width:2.5em"|19th<br />Sun
!style="width:2.5em"|20th<br />Mon
!style="width:2.5em"|21st<br />Tue
!style="width:2.5em"|22nd<br />Wed
!style="width:2.5em"|23rd<br />Thu
!style="width:2.5em"|24th<br />Fri
!style="width:2.5em"|25th<br />Sat
!style="width:2.5em"|26th<br />Sun
!Events
|}

==Medal table==
{{Main|2006 Winter Olympics medal table}}
[[File:Torino 2006 Medals Plaza.jpg|thumb|300px|Victory ceremony at Medals Plaza]]
The top ten listed [[National Olympic Committee|NOCs]] by number of gold medals are listed below.

{{legend2|#ccf|Host country (Italy)|border=solid 1px #AAAAAA}}

''To sort this table by nation, total medal count, or any other column, click on the [[File:sort both.gif]] icon next to the column title.''

{{Medals table
 | caption        = 
 | host           = 
 | show_limit     = 
 | remaining_text = 
 | flag_template  = flagIOC
 | event          = 2006 Winter
 | team           = 
 | gold_GER = 11 | silver_GER = 12 | bronze_GER = 6
 | gold_USA = 9 | silver_USA = 9 | bronze_USA = 7
 | gold_AUT = 9 | silver_AUT = 7 | bronze_AUT = 7
 | gold_RUS = 8 | silver_RUS = 6 | bronze_RUS = 8
 | gold_CAN = 7 | silver_CAN = 10 | bronze_CAN = 7
 | gold_SWE = 7 | silver_SWE = 2 | bronze_SWE = 5
 | gold_KOR = 6 | silver_KOR = 3 | bronze_KOR = 2
 | gold_SUI = 5 | silver_SUI = 4 | bronze_SUI = 5
 | gold_ITA = 5 | silver_ITA = 0 | bronze_ITA = 6 | host_ITA = yes 
 | gold_FRA = 3 | silver_FRA = 2 | bronze_FRA = 4
 | gold_NED = 3 | silver_NED = 2 | bronze_NED = 4
}}

===Podium sweeps===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Date
!Sport
!Event
!NOC
!Gold
!Silver
!Bronze
|-
|14 February
|[[Luge at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Luge]] 
|[[Luge at the 2006 Winter Olympics – Women's singles|Women's singles]]
|{{flagIOC|GER|2006 Winter}}
|[[Sylke Otto]]
|[[Silke Kraushaar]]
|[[Tatjana Hüfner]]
|-
|25 February
|[[Alpine skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Alpine Skiing]]
|[[Alpine skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics – Men's slalom|Men's slalom]]
|{{flagIOC|AUT|2006 Winter}}
|[[Benjamin Raich]]
|[[Reinfried Herbst]]
|[[Rainer Schönfelder]]
|}

==Highlights==
{{Main|Chronological summary of the 2006 Winter Olympics}}
 [[File:Piazza Carlo Felice Torino.JPG|thumb|2006 Olympics logo on display in the [[Carlo Felice Square]], in Turin]]

===Day 1 (Opening Ceremony)===
[[Stefania Belmondo]], a 10-time Olympic medalist in [[cross-country skiing (sport)|cross-country skiing]], lit the [[Olympic Flame]] during the [[2006 Winter Olympics opening ceremony|opening ceremony]] on 10 February. Before that, the ceremony celebrated the best of Italy and Sport including a segment honoring the [[Alps]]. The FilmMaster Group K-events (from March 2012: Filmmaster Events) created and produced the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the XX Winter Olympic Games in Turin in 2006. Marco Balich was the executive producer, Alfredo Accatino the content supervisor, while Lida Castelli was the arts director.  [[Monica Maimone]] of Studio Festi directed the section ''From Renaissance To Baroque'', part of the Opening Ceremony.<ref name="Oaths">{{cite news|url=http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page=olymp/2006/archive/summary10.htm |title=Olympic Daily News |date=10 February 2006 |publisher=The Sports Network |access-date=18 April 2007 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5wfdPToxz?url=http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page=olymp%2F2006%2Farchive%2Fsummary10.htm |archive-date=21 February 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Relay-Opening">{{cite news|url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/torino/torch_relay/full_story_uk.asp?id=1670 |title=Torino 2006: Flame in the Tallest Cauldron |date=11 February 2006 |publisher=[[International Olympic Committee]] |access-date=18 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090730042446/http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/torino/torch_relay/full_story_uk.asp?id=1670 |archive-date=30 July 2009 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

===Day 2===
The first gold medal of the 2006 Games was awarded in the 20 kilometre [[biathlon at the 2006 Winter Olympics|biathlon]], won by [[Germany at the 2006 Winter Olympics|German]] [[Michael Greis]] on the first day of competition. Ice hockey began with the women's competition; [[Sweden at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Sweden]] defeated [[Russia at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Russia]] 3–1 in the first match while [[Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Canada]]'s team opened with the second most lopsided win in Olympic history by beating the host [[Italy at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Italians]] 16–0.

===Day 3===
On 12 February, [[Latvia at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Latvia]] won its first winter Olympic medal when [[Mārtiņš Rubenis]] took the bronze in the men's luge. [[Armin Zöggeler]]'s win in that event gave Italy its first gold medal of the Games and gave Zöggeler medals at four consecutive Olympics, including two golds in a row.  In Alpine skiing, the men's downhill was won by [[Antoine Deneriaz]] of France.

===Day 4===
[[China at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Chinese]] figure skating pair [[Zhang Dan]] and [[Zhang Hao (figure skater)|Zhang Hao]], trailing a dominant [[Russia at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Russian]] pair, attempted a throw quadruple [[salchow jump]]—an element which had never been successfully completed in competition. Zhang Dan fell, injuring her knee, but the pair finished their program to a standing ovation and took the silver medal. Russia finished the third day of competition with two gold medals, as did the United States.

===Day 5===
The fourth day saw [[Evgeni Plushenko]] of Russia set a world record score in the men's figure skating short program; his 90.66 points exceeded the nearest opponent's score by more than 10 points. The men's combined [[Alpine skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics|alpine skiing]] was riddled with disqualifications, including front-runners [[Bode Miller]] and [[Benjamin Raich]]. American [[Ted Ligety]] won the event in what was considered an upset.

===Day 6===
Canada had another strong day on 15 February, setting new Olympic records in both men's and women's pursuit team speed skating events as well as opening the men's ice hockey competition with a win against Italy. Italy finished the day with the men's pursuit team Olympic record, however, after the [[Netherlands at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Netherlands]] bettered Canada's time only to have Italy improve upon theirs. China won its first gold of 2006 with [[Wang Meng (speed skater)|Wang Meng]]'s victory in the women's individual 500-metre short track speed skating. A pair of [[Austria at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Austrian]] brothers [[Andreas Linger]] and [[Wolfgang Linger]] won the men's doubles luge while [[Michaela Dorfmeister]] gave the nation another championship in the women's downhill.

===Day 7===
[[Kristina Šmigun]] won her second gold medal of the Games with a victory in the women's 10&nbsp;kilometre classical [[Cross-country skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics|cross-country skiing]] on 16 February, remaining the only [[Estonia at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Estonian]] to medal. In men's [[Curling at the 2006 Winter Olympics|curling]] action, [[Great Britain at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Great Britain]] edged [[Germany at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Germany]] 7–6, [[Switzerland at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Switzerland]] kept [[New Zealand at the 2006 Winter Olympics|New Zealand]] winless by winning 9–7, [[Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Canada]] beat [[Norway at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Norway]] 7–6, and the [[United States at the 2006 Winter Olympics|United States]] defeated [[Sweden at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Sweden]], 10–6. [[Evgeni Plushenko]] of Russia  won the gold in the men's singles artistic skating.

===Day 8===
On 17 February, [[Tanja Frieden]] of [[Switzerland at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Switzerland]] took the gold in women's snowboard cross after [[Lindsey Jacobellis]] of the United States fell on the second-to-last jump while performing an unnecessary method grab. Jacobellis settled for silver (she would have won gold if she had not performed the grab), while [[Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Canada]]'s [[Dominique Maltais]] took bronze after recovering from a crash. [[Duff Gibson]] of [[Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Canada]] took gold in the [[Skeleton at the 2006 Winter Olympics|skeleton]] just ahead of fellow Canadian [[Jeff Pain]], becoming the oldest individual gold medalist in Winter Olympics history. In the women's ice hockey semifinals, the United States lost a shootout to Sweden, marking the first time in international competition that the United States had lost to anyone other than Canada.<ref>{{cite web|work=espn.com|first=Scott|last=Burnside|date=17 Feb 2006|title=Semifinal stunner changes women's hockey map|url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/winter06/hockey/columns/story?id=2334389|access-date=2020-07-07|archive-date=8 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708012336/https://www.espn.com/olympics/winter06/hockey/columns/story?id=2334389|url-status=live}}</ref> Canada's win maintained its record of never having lost to anyone other than the United States.<ref>{{cite web|first=James H.|last=Marsh|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/ice-hockey|publisher=The Canadian Encyclopedia|title=Ice Hockey in Canada|date=July 21, 2013|access-date=2020-07-07|quote=Canada and the US were again widely considered to be the gold and silver medal contenders, but Sweden managed to eke out the US to play the final match with Canada. Team Canada claimed gold with a 4–1 victory. It was the first time that both Canada and US had faced serious contenders in international women's hockey besides each other.|archive-date=29 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429030451/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/ice-hockey|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Day 9===
[[Kjetil André Aamodt]] won gold for [[Norway at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Norway]] in the men's super-G on 18 February, beating [[Hermann Maier]] of [[Austria at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Austria]]. [[Germany at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Germans]] [[Kati Wilhelm]] and [[Martina Glagow]] finished first and second in the 10 kilometre biathlon pursuit. The host Italians defeated Canada in men's curling, while Switzerland did the same in men's ice hockey to put the Canadians on the wrong end of two major upsets on the same day. The United States men's ice hockey team suffered its first loss of the tournament as [[Slovakia at the 2006 Winter Olympics|Slovakia]] and Russia continue their dominance of the pool.

===Day 10===
[[Lascelles Brown]] became the first Jamaican-born competitor to win a medal at the Winter Olympics on 19 February, competing on the Canadian 2-man bobsleigh team which finished second in an extremely tight competition. The German pair was only .21&nbsp;seconds ahead of the Canadians, themselves only .14 ahead of the Swiss team. Finland continued to be unbeaten in men's ice hockey, handing Canada its second loss.

The day also saw the most hyped event of these games, at least in Europe, as the Men's 10&nbsp;km Cross Country Relay was scheduled. The battle stemmed from the [[1994 Winter Olympics|Lillehammer]] games 12 years ago in which Italy out-dueled Norway in that very same event. To that extent, many Norwegians wanted to win this event in order to embarrass the Italians on their home turf, but it was not to be as Italy crushed the field winning over Germany by over 15&nbsp;seconds to take their 5th straight gold in this event. Norway failed to medal for the first time since 1988.

===Day 11===
The final day of curling pool play was 20 February; Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and Canada advanced to the women's semifinals while Finland, Canada, the United States, and Great Britain qualified in the men's competition. Austria took their first team gold medal in ski jumping, while Canada took their second in women's ice hockey.

===Day 12===
Slovakia and Finland both won their final men's ice hockey games on 21 February to win their respective pools with 5–0–0 records. [[Enrico Fabris]] gave the host nation another gold medal in speed skating by winning the men's 1500&nbsp;metres.

===Day 13===
On 22 February, the twelfth day of competition, [[Anja Pärson]] won her first gold medal in the women's slalom; it was her fifth overall Olympic medal and third of the 2006 Games. [[Chandra Crawford]] took a quicker route to the top of the podium, winning the 1.1 kilometre cross-country sprint gold in her Olympic debut. In the men's ice hockey quarterfinals, the previously undefeated Slovaks lost to the Czech Republic while Russia, Finland, and Sweden eliminated Canada, the United States, and Switzerland, respectively. [[Philipp Schoch]] successfully defended his snowboarding giant slalom gold against his brother [[Simon Schoch|Simon]].

===Day 14===
Sweden took the women's championship in the curling finals held on 23 February. [[Shizuka Arakawa]] gave Japan its first gold medal of the Games and first figure skating gold medal, winning the ladies' figure skating competition in part by being able to finish without falling, as [[Sasha Cohen]] and [[Irina Slutskaya]] both tumbled. Russia wrested the gold medal in women's team biathlon from Germany.

===Day 15===
24 February was the day of the men's curling finals, in which Canada won its first gold medal and the United States won its first medal in the sport as Canada defeated Finland and the United States beat Great Britain for the second time. The figure skating gala was also held, with top placers in all of the events performing exhibitions. Sweden and Finland won their men's ice hockey semifinal games, defeating the Czech Republic and Russia.

===Day 16===
The Austrians swept the men's alpine slalom medals on 25 February, led by [[Benjamin Raich]]. Germany took gold medals in the men's 15&nbsp;kilometer biathlon and the men's individual bobsleigh. [[Apolo Anton Ohno]] won his second short track speed skating gold medal. South Korea's [[Jin Sun-Yu]] wins her third gold of the Games in the women's 1000&nbsp;m. Compatriot [[Ahn Hyun-Soo]] wins his third gold medal of the Games, medaling in every men's short track event and bringing his total number of medals in Turin to four.

===Day 17 (Closing ceremony)===
The final day of competition and the [[2006 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony|closing ceremony]], were held during the [[Carnival in Italy|Sunday Carnival]] on 26 February. The Swedish men's ice hockey team handed Finland their first loss in the final to take the gold medal. In the closing ceremony, [[Manuela Di Centa]], a seven-time Olympic medalist from Italy and then-member of the [[International Olympic Committee]], was scheduled to present the medals for the men's 50-kilometre cross-country skiing event. This resulted in her presenting the gold medal to her own brother when [[Giorgio Di Centa]] won the event to take his second gold medal.

==Venues==
{{Main|Venues of the 2006 Winter Olympics}}

===Olympic areas===
Olympic events were mainly held in Turin, but other events (namely skiing, snowboarding, and the track sports) were held in mountainous outlying villages.

====Turin====
Many venues were located in the Olympic District in central Turin, including:
* [[Oval Lingotto]] – Speed skating
* [[Torino Esposizioni]] – Ice hockey
* [[Pala Alpitour|Palasport Olimpico]] – Ice hockey (final)
* [[Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino|Stadio Olimpico]] – [[2006 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony|Opening]] and [[2006 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony|closing]] ceremonies
* [[Torino Palavela|Palavela]] – Figure skating, short-track speed skating
* [[Piazza Castello]] - awarding ceremonies
* Olympic Village

====Other locations====
[[File:Map of the XX Olympic Winter Games (english).png|thumb|Location of venues]]
* [[Bardonecchia]] – Snowboarding
* [[Cesana Pariol]] – Bobsleigh, Luge, Skeleton
* [[Cesana San Sicario]]  – Biathlon
* [[Pinerolo]] – Curling
* [[Stadio del Trampolino|Pragelato]] – Nordic combined (ski jumping), Ski jumping
* [[Pragelato Plan]] – Cross-country skiing, Nordic combined (cross-country skiing)
* [[San Sicario Fraiteve]] – Alpine skiing (women's combined (downhill), downhill, and super-g)
* [[Sauze d'Oulx]] – Freestyle skiing
* [[Sestriere|Sestriere Borgata]] – Alpine skiing (men's combined (downhill), downhill, super-g)
* [[Sestriere|Sestriere Colle]] – Alpine skiing (combined (slalom), giant slalom, slalom)

===Olympic villages===
* [[Bardonecchia]]
* [[Sestriere]]
* [[Turin]]

===Official Olympic training sites===
* [[Chiomonte]]
* [[Via Lattea|Claviere]]
* [[Prali]]
* [[Alpe Lusentino - Domodossola]] (VB) (Alpine Skiing)
* [[Riale - Formazza]] (VB) (Nordic Skiing)

===Olympic mountain training site===
* [[Torre Pellice]]

==Participating National Olympic Committees==
[[File:2006 Winter olympics team numbers.PNG|300px|thumb|right|
Number of athletes sent from participating NOCs: 1–9; blue: 10–49; orange: 50–99; red: 100 or more.]]
A record 80 [[National Olympic Committee]]s (NOCs) entered athletes at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games. This was an increase of two from the 78 represented at the [[2002 Olympic Winter Games]]. The number in parentheses indicates the number of participants that NOC contributed.  It was the first appearance for Albania, Ethiopia and Madagascar. It was the only appearance at the Winter Olympics for [[Serbia and Montenegro]], coming between the country's name change in 2003 from the [[Federal Republic of Yugoslavia]] and Montenegro's then-pending [[2006 Montenegrin independence referendum|vote for independence]] in May 2006. Algeria returned to the Winter games after a 14-year absence, Senegal returned to the Winter games after a 12-year absence, and Luxembourg, North Korea and Portugal returned after 8 years. Six countries, Cameroon, Fiji, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago which were at the 2002 Games, did not participate in 2006.

<!--
The number of athletes listed here is 2633,
NOTE:    which is different from the IOC's count of
2,508. This should be fixed, with good sources.
-->
{| class="wikitable collapsible" style="width:100%;"
|-
! Participating [[:Category:Nations at the 1904 Summer Olympics|National Olympic Committees]]
|-
|
{{Div col|colwidth=17em}}
* {{flagIOC|ALB|2006 Winter|1}}
* {{flagIOC|ALG|2006 Winter|2}}
* {{flagIOC|AND|2006 Winter|3}}
* {{flagIOC|ARG|2006 Winter|9}}
* {{flagIOC|ARM|2006 Winter|5}}
* {{flagIOC|AUS|2006 Winter|40}}
* {{flagIOC|AUT|2006 Winter|73}}
* {{flagIOC|AZE|2006 Winter|2}}
* {{flagIOC|BLR|2006 Winter|28}}
* {{flagIOC|BEL|2006 Winter|4}}
* {{flagIOC|BER|2006 Winter|1}}
* {{flagIOC|BIH|2006 Winter|6}}
* {{flagIOC|BRA|2006 Winter|9}}
* {{flagIOC|BUL|2006 Winter|21}}
* {{flagIOC|CAN|2006 Winter|191}}
* {{flagIOC|CHI|2006 Winter|9}}
* {{flagIOC|CHN|2006 Winter|76}}
* {{flagIOC|TPE|2006 Winter|1}}
* {{flagIOC|CRC|2006 Winter|1}}
* {{flagIOC|CRO|2006 Winter|22}}
* {{flagIOC|CYP|2006 Winter|1}}
* {{flagIOC|CZE|2006 Winter|84}}
* {{flagIOC|DEN|2006 Winter|5}}
* {{flagIOC|EST|2006 Winter|26}}
* {{flagIOC|ETH|2006 Winter|1}}
* {{flagIOC|FIN|2006 Winter|102}}
* {{flagIOC|FRA|2006 Winter|82}}
* {{flagIOC|GEO|2006 Winter|3}}
* {{flagIOC|GER|2006 Winter|162}}
* {{flagIOC|GBR|2006 Winter|41}}
* {{flagIOC|GRE|2006 Winter|5}}
* {{flagIOC|HKG|2006 Winter|1}}
* {{flagIOC|HUN|2006 Winter|19}}
* {{flagIOC|ISL|2006 Winter|5}}
* {{flagIOC|IND|2006 Winter|4}}
* {{flagIOC|IRI|2006 Winter|2}}
* {{flagIOC|IRL|2006 Winter|4}}
* {{flagIOC|ISR|2006 Winter|5}}
* {{flagIOC|ITA|2006 Winter|185}} '''(host)'''
* {{flagIOC|JPN|2006 Winter|110}}
* {{flagIOC|KAZ|2006 Winter|56}}
* {{flagIOC|KEN|2006 Winter|1}}
* {{flagIOC|KGZ|2006 Winter|1}}
* {{flagIOC|LAT|2006 Winter|57}}
* {{flagIOC|LIB|2006 Winter|3}}
* {{flagIOC|LIE|2006 Winter|5}}
* {{flagIOC|LTU|2006 Winter|7}}
* {{flagIOC|LUX|2006 Winter|1}}
* {{flagIOC|MKD|2006 Winter|3}}
* {{flagIOC|MAD|2006 Winter|1}}
* {{flagIOC|MDA|2006 Winter|6}}
* {{flagIOC|MON|2006 Winter|4}}
* {{flagIOC|MGL|2006 Winter|2}}
* {{flagIOC|NEP|2006 Winter|1}}
* {{flagIOC|NED|2006 Winter|33}}
* {{flagIOC|NZL|2006 Winter|18}}
* {{flagIOC|PRK|2006 Winter|6}}
* {{flagIOC|NOR|2006 Winter|69}}
* {{flagIOC|POL|2006 Winter|45}}
* {{flagIOC|POR|2006 Winter|1}}
* {{flagIOC|ROU|2006 Winter|25}}
* {{flagIOC|RUS|2006 Winter|190}}
* {{flagIOC|SMR|2006 Winter|1}}
* {{flagIOC|SEN|2006 Winter|1}}
* {{flagIOC|SCG|2006 Winter|6}}
* {{flagIOC|SVK|2006 Winter|58}}
* {{flagIOC|SLO|2006 Winter|36}}
* {{flagIOC|RSA|2006 Winter|3}}
* {{flagIOC|KOR|2006 Winter|40}}
* {{flagIOC|ESP|2006 Winter|16}}
* {{flagIOC|SWE|2006 Winter|106}}
* {{flagIOC|SUI|2006 Winter|140}}
* {{flagIOC|TJK|2006 Winter|1}}
* {{flagIOC|THA|2006 Winter|1}}
* {{flagIOC|TUR|2006 Winter|6}}
* {{flagIOC|UKR|2006 Winter|52}}
* {{flagIOC|USA|2006 Winter|204}}
* {{flagIOC|UZB|2006 Winter|4}}
* {{flagIOC|VEN|2006 Winter|1}}
* {{flagIOC|ISV|2006 Winter|1}}
{{div col end}}
|}

=== Number of athletes by National Olympic Committee ===
2,494 [[athlete]]s from 80 [[National Olympic Committee|NOCs]] participated in the 2006 Winter Olympics.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- 
! [[List of IOC country codes|IOC Letter Code]]
! Country
! Athletes
|-
| USA || {{flagIOC|USA|2006 Winter}} || 204
|-
| CAN || {{flagIOC|CAN|2006 Winter}} || 191
|-
| RUS || {{flagIOC|RUS|2006 Winter}} || 190
|-
| ITA || {{flagIOC|ITA|2006 Winter}} || 185
|-
| GER || {{flagIOC|GER|2006 Winter}} || 162
|-
| SUI || {{flagIOC|SUI|2006 Winter}} || 140
|-
| JPN || {{flagIOC|JPN|2006 Winter}} || 110
|-
| SWE || {{flagIOC|SWE|2006 Winter}} || 106
|-
| FIN || {{flagIOC|FIN|2006 Winter}} || 102
|-
| CZE || {{flagIOC|CZE|2006 Winter}} || 84
|-
| FRA || {{flagIOC|FRA|2006 Winter}} || 82
|-
| CHN || {{flagIOC|CHN|2006 Winter}} || 76
|-
| AUT || {{flagIOC|AUT|2006 Winter}} || 73
|-
| NOR || {{flagIOC|NOR|2006 Winter}} || 69
|-
| SVK || {{flagIOC|SVK|2006 Winter}} || 58
|-
| LAT || {{flagIOC|LAT|2006 Winter}} || 57
|-
| KAZ || {{flagIOC|KAZ|2006 Winter}} || 56
|-
| UKR || {{flagIOC|UKR|2006 Winter}} || 52
|-
| POL || {{flagIOC|POL|2006 Winter}} || 45
|-
| GBR || {{flagIOC|GBR|2006 Winter}} || 41
|-
| AUS || {{flagIOC|AUS|2006 Winter}} || 40
|-
| KOR || {{flagIOC|KOR|2006 Winter}} || 40
|-
| SLO || {{flagIOC|SLO|2006 Winter}} || 36
|-
| NED || {{flagIOC|NED|2006 Winter}} || 33
|-
| BLR || {{flagIOC|BLR|2006 Winter}} || 28
|-
| EST || {{flagIOC|EST|2006 Winter}} || 26
|-
| ROU || {{flagIOC|ROU|2006 Winter}} || 25
|-
| CRO || {{flagIOC|CRO|2006 Winter}} || 22
|-
| BUL || {{flagIOC|BUL|2006 Winter}} || 21
|-
| HUN || {{flagIOC|HUN|2006 Winter}} || 19
|-
| NZL || {{flagIOC|NZL|2006 Winter}} || 18
|-
| ESP || {{flagIOC|ESP|2006 Winter}} || 16
|-
| ARG || {{flagIOC|ARG|2006 Winter}} || 9
|-
| BRA || {{flagIOC|BRA|2006 Winter}} || 9
|-
| CHI || {{flagIOC|CHI|2006 Winter}} || 9
|-
| LTU || {{flagIOC|LTU|2006 Winter}} || 7
|-
| BIH || {{flagIOC|BIH|2006 Winter}} || 6
|-
| PRK || {{flagIOC|PRK|2006 Winter}} || 6
|-
| MDA || {{flagIOC|MDA|2006 Winter}} || 6
|-
| SCG || {{flagIOC|SCG|2006 Winter}} || 6
|-
| TUR || {{flagIOC|TUR|2006 Winter}} || 6
|-
| ARM || {{flagIOC|ARM|2006 Winter}} || 5
|-
| DEN || {{flagIOC|DEN|2006 Winter}} || 5
|-
| GRE || {{flagIOC|GRE|2006 Winter}} || 5
|-
| ISL || {{flagIOC|ISL|2006 Winter}} || 5
|-
| ISR || {{flagIOC|ISR|2006 Winter}} || 5
|-
| LIE || {{flagIOC|LIE|2006 Winter}} || 5
|-
| BEL || {{flagIOC|BEL|2006 Winter}} || 4
|-
| IND || {{flagIOC|IND|2006 Winter}} || 4
|-
| IRL || {{flagIOC|IRL|2006 Winter}} || 4
|-
| MON || {{flagIOC|MON|2006 Winter}} || 4
|-
| UZB || {{flagIOC|UZB|2006 Winter}} || 4
|-
| AND || {{flagIOC|AND|2006 Winter}} || 3
|-
| GEO || {{flagIOC|GEO|2006 Winter}} || 3
|-
| LIB || {{flagIOC|LIB|2006 Winter}} || 3
|-
| MKD || {{flagIOC|MKD|2006 Winter}} || 3
|-
| RSA || {{flagIOC|RSA|2006 Winter}} || 3
|-
| ALG || {{flagIOC|ALG|2006 Winter}} || 2
|-
| AZE || {{flagIOC|AZE|2006 Winter}} || 2
|-
| IRI || {{flagIOC|IRI|2006 Winter}} || 2
|-
| MGL || {{flagIOC|MGL|2006 Winter}} || 2
|-
| ALB || {{flagIOC|ALB|2006 Winter}} || 1
|-
| BER || {{flagIOC|BER|2006 Winter}} || 1
|-
| CRC || {{flagIOC|CRC|2006 Winter}} || 1
|-
| CYP || {{flagIOC|CYP|2006 Winter}} || 1
|-
| ETH || {{flagIOC|ETH|2006 Winter}} || 1
|-
| HKG || {{flagIOC|HKG|2006 Winter}} || 1
|-
| KEN || {{flagIOC|KEN|2006 Winter}} || 1
|-
| KGZ || {{flagIOC|KGZ|2006 Winter}} || 1
|-
| LUX || {{flagIOC|LUX|2006 Winter}} || 1
|-
| MAD || {{flagIOC|MAD|2006 Winter}} || 1
|-
| NEP || {{flagIOC|NEP|2006 Winter}} || 1
|-
| POR || {{flagIOC|POR|2006 Winter}} || 1
|-
| SMR || {{flagIOC|SMR|2006 Winter}} || 1
|-
| SEN || {{flagIOC|SEN|2006 Winter}} || 1
|-
| TPE || {{flagIOC|TPE|2006 Winter}} || 1
|-
| TJK || {{flagIOC|TJK|2006 Winter}} || 1
|-
| THA || {{flagIOC|THA|2006 Winter}} || 1
|-
| VEN || {{flagIOC|VEN|2006 Winter}} || 1
|-
| ISV || {{flagIOC|ISV|2006 Winter}} || 1
|}

==Organization==
Out of 40,000 applicants, 20,000 volunteers were selected to help the athletes, spectators, and journalists, and to prepare the competition sites. They were selected by the recruiting program [[Noi2006]].<ref name="Volunteers">{{cite web|url=http://www.torino2006.org/ENG/OlympicGames/spirito_olimpico/volontari.html |title=Noi2006 – The Volunteers Programme |access-date=19 April 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060827190417/http://www.torino2006.org/ENG/OlympicGames/spirito_olimpico/volontari.html |archive-date=27 August 2006 }}</ref>

===Construction===
Sixty-five sporting facilities, various infrastructures, sport villages for athletes and media, and transportation infrastructures were constructed for a total of 1.7&nbsp;billion euros.<ref name="Construction">{{cite web |url=http://www.thechronicle.us/news.php?id=975 |title=Winter Olympics Return to Italy Opening Ceremonies Begin February 10 in Turin |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060208163059/http://www.thechronicle.us/news.php?id=975 |archive-date=8 February 2006 |author=Villani, Ron |access-date=19 April 2007}}</ref>

Among the most important sporting facilities that were used:
* The [[Stadio Olimpico (Turin)]] (formerly known as Stadio Comunale);
* Five sports halls (three new, two rearranged): the Palazzo a Vela re-designed by [[Gae Aulenti]] (to host short track and ice skating), the [[Oval Lingotto]] (speed ice skating), [[Torino Esposizioni]] (ice hockey), the Ice stadium in corso Tazzoli, the [[Torino Palasport Olimpico|Palasport Olimpico]] designed by Arata Isozaki (ice hockey);
* The Olympic arch of Turin;
* Olympic villages of Turin, Bardonecchia and Sestriere;
* The ice stadium in Pinerolo, re-arranged and enlarged, to host the curling competition;
* A new stadium in Torre Pellice (ice hockey);
* Twelve new intermediate-level ski lifts in Cesana Torinese, Cesana San Sicario, Sestriere, Bardonecchia, Claviere, Sauze d'Oulx, Pragelato;
* The tracks for bobsled, luge, and skeleton in Cesana (the second international track in Italy, along with the one in [[Cortina d'Ampezzo]]);

The most important transport infrastructure works were:
* The [[Metrotorino|Turin Metro]] ([[Véhicule Automatique Léger|VAL]] system), which for the Olympic Games connected [[Collegno]] to the railway station of [[Porta Susa]].
* The upgrade of 11 state roads and motorways connecting Turin with other Olympic sites, including the Motorway between Turin and Pinerolo, which was host to the Curling events.

In the city, the main developments were the [[Palafuksas]], a glass building designed by [[Massimiliano Fuksas]], the new Modern Art Gallery and the great project of the "Spina", that will provide urban regeneration over an area of 2 million square meters through the construction of an underground urban railway and the re-utilization of abandoned industrial areas.

==Marketing==
===Emblem and motto===
[[File:PassionLivesHere.jpg|thumb|"Passion lives here", the Turin 2006 motto written by the Italian calligrapher {{ill|Francesca Biasetton|it}}]]
The Games' logo depicted a stylized profile of the [[Mole Antonelliana]] building, drawn in white and blue ice crystals, signifying the snow and the sky. The crystal web was also meant to portray the web of new technologies and the Olympic spirit of community. The official motto of Torino 2006 was "Passion lives here".<ref name="Motto">{{cite web|url=http://www.torino2006.org/ENG/OlympicGames/bin/page/C_3_page_eng_283_paragraphs_paragrafo_0_attachments_allegato_7_object.pdf |title=Italian Passion in the Motto of Torino 2006 |work=Torino 2006 |access-date=18 April 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080216091149/http://www.torino2006.org/ENG/OlympicGames/bin/page/C_3_page_eng_283_paragraphs_paragrafo_0_attachments_allegato_7_object.pdf |archive-date=16 February 2008 }}</ref> 

===Mascots===
The 2006 Olympic mascots were Neve ("snow" in Italian), a female [[snowball]], and Gliz, a male [[ice cube]].<ref name="Mascots">{{cite web|url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/torino/open_mascotte_uk.asp |title=Torino 2006 Mascots |publisher=[[International Olympic Committee|IOC]] |website=olympic.org |access-date=18 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100526214256/http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/torino/open_mascotte_uk.asp |archive-date=26 May 2010 |url-status=live  }}</ref> 

===Sponsors===
{| class="wikitable collapsible " style="float:center; margin:10px;"
|-
! Sponsors of the 2006 Winter Olympics
|-
| Worldwide Olympic Partners
{{col-start}}
{{col-5}}
* [[Atos|Atos Origin]]
* [[The Coca-Cola Company|Coca-Cola]]
* [[General Electric]]
* [[Kodak]]
{{col-5}}
* [[Lenovo]]
* [[John Hancock Financial]]
* [[McDonald's]]
{{col-5}}
* [[Omega SA]]
* [[Panasonic]]
* [[Samsung Electronics]]
* [[Visa Inc.]]
{{col-end}}
|-
| Main Sponsors
{{col-start}}
{{col-5}}
* [[Fiat]]
{{col-5}}
* [[Sanpaolo IMI]]
{{col-5}}
* [[TIM Group|Telecom Italia]]
{{col-end}}
|-
| Official Sponsors
{{col-start}}
{{col-5}}
* [[Alfa Romeo]]
* {{ill|Alpitour|lt=Alpitour|it|Alpitour}}
* [[Anheuser-Busch]]
* [[Asics]]
* {{ill|Berloni|lt=Berloni|it|Berloni}}
{{col-5}}
* [[Eutelsat]]
* [[Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane]]
* [[Jet Set Sports]]
* [[Johnson & Johnson]]
{{col-5}}
* [[Kyocera]]
* [[Lancia]]
* [[Leonardo (company)|Leonardo-Finmeccanica]]
* {{ill|Reale Mutua Assicurazioni|lt=Reale Mutua Assicurazioni|it|Reale Mutua Assicurazioni}}
{{col-end}}
|-
| Official Suppliers
{{col-start}}
{{col-5}}
* [[Adecco]]
* [[Automobile Club d'Italia]]
* Ceriel 
* Cicrespi 
* Cofatech 
* [[DB Schenker]]
* [[Europcar]]
* Fast-Buyer
{{col-5}}
* Fontanafredda Winery
* Garrett Metal Detectors
* Intercom Dr. Leitner 
* [[Italcar]]
* [[Italgas]]
* [[Kearney (consulting firm)|Kearney]]
* Liski
* [[Nortel]]
{{col-5}}
* Ottaviani 
* [[Pininfarina]]
* Recchi
* Seteco
* SITAF
* [[Technogym]]
* {{ill|TicketOne|lt=TicketOne|it|TicketOne}}
{{col-end}}
|}

==Broadcasting==
About 40% of the television coverage of the Olympics was in [[high-definition television|high definition]].<ref>[https://www.computerworld.com/article/2532236/olympics-goes-all-hd-for-the-first-time.html Olympics goes all-HD for the first time] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200903234857/https://www.computerworld.com/article/2532236/olympics-goes-all-hd-for-the-first-time.html |date=3 September 2020 }} - Martyn Williams, Computer World, 8 August 2008</ref>

The 2006 Winter Olympic Games were broadcast worldwide by a number of television broadcasters:

{| class="wikitable"
!Country
!Broadcaster
!Ref
|-
|Argentina
|[[Torneos y Competencias|TyC]]
|<ref name=IOC/>
|-
|Asia
|[[Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union|ABU]]
|<ref name=Torino2006/>
|-
|Australia
|[[Seven Network]]
|<ref>{{cite news|last=Steffens|first=Miriam|title=Seven Network 2nd-Half Profit Falls 13% on TV Costs (Update5)|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aR0K3Fc17HX4&refer=australia|access-date=21 April 2013|newspaper=Bloomberg|date=23 August 2005|archive-date=4 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904082901/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aR0K3Fc17HX4&refer=australia|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|Brazil
|[[SporTV]]
|<ref name=IOC/>
|-
|Canada
| {{flatlist}}
*[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC/Radio-Canada]]
*[[The Sports Network|TSN]]
*[[Réseau des sports|RDS]]
{{endflatlist}}
|<ref>{{cite news|title=Canadians to experience Olympic Winter Games in HD for the first time|url=http://www.channelcanada.com/canadian-channels/nets/cbc/canadians-to-experience-olympic-winter-games-in-hd-for-the-first-time|access-date=21 April 2013|newspaper=Channel Canada|date=26 January 2006|archive-date=4 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904082901/http://www.channelcanada.com/canadian-channels/nets/cbc/canadians-to-experience-olympic-winter-games-in-hd-for-the-first-time|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|{{noflag}}Caribbean
|[[Caribbean Media Corporation|CMC]]
|<ref name=Torino2006/>
|-
|People's Republic of China
|[[China Central Television|CCTV]]
|<ref name=Torino2006/>
|-
|Chinese Taipei
|{{flatlist}}
*[[Chinese Television System|CTS]]
*[[Taiwan Television|TTV]]
{{endflatlist}}
|<ref name=Torino2006/>
|-
|Estonia
|[[Eesti Televisioon|ETV]]
|<ref name=Akamai/>
|-
|Europe
|{{flatlist}}
*[[European Broadcasting Union|EBU]]
*[[Eurosport]]
{{endflatlist}}
|<ref>{{cite news|title=IOC Changes Broadcast Rights Sales|url=http://www.gamesbids.com/eng/index.php?news=1064508384|access-date=21 April 2013|newspaper=GamesBids.com|date=25 September 2003|archive-date=18 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230918045622/https://gamesbids.com/eng/?news=1064508384|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Winter Olympics exceeds expectations on European broadcaster Globosport|url=http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k6/mar/mar152.htm|access-date=21 April 2013|newspaper=Indiantelevision.com|date=11 March 2006|archive-date=16 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116072408/http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k6/mar/mar152.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|Finland
|[[Yle]]
|<ref name="USA Today"/>
|-
|France
|[[France Télévisions]]
|<ref name=Torino2006>{{cite web|title=The Games on Television|url=http://www.torino2006.org/ENG/OlympicGames/gare_e_programma/tv_sport.html|work=Torino2006.com|access-date=21 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060830195653/http://www.torino2006.org/ENG/OlympicGames/gare_e_programma/tv_sport.html|archive-date=30 August 2006 }}</ref>
|-
|Germany
|{{flatlist}}
*[[ARD (broadcaster)|ARD]]
*[[ZDF]]
{{endflatlist}}
|<ref name=Akamai>{{cite news|title=Akamai Supports European Broadcasting Union with Streaming of 2006 Olympic Winter Games|url=http://www.akamai.com/html/about/press/releases/2006/press_030106.html|access-date=21 April 2013|newspaper=Akamai|date=1 March 2006|archive-date=9 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131009234334/http://www.akamai.com/html/about/press/releases/2006/press_030106.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|Iceland
|[[RÚV]]
|<ref name=Akamai/>
|-
|Italy
|[[RAI]]
|<ref>{{cite news|title=Turin Olympics to set audience record for Winter Games|url=http://english.eastday.com/eastday/englishedition/sports/userobject1ai1821271.html|access-date=21 April 2013|newspaper=English.eastday.com|date=28 January 2006|archive-date=4 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904082902/http://english.eastday.com/eastday/englishedition/sports/userobject1ai1821271.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|Japan
|[[NHK]]
|<ref name=Torino2006/>
|-
|{{noflag}}Latin America
|[[Organización de Televisión Iberoamericana|OTI]]
|<ref name=Torino2006/>
|-
|Malaysia
|{{flatlist}}
*[[Radio Televisyen Malaysia|RTM]]
*[[Astro (Malaysian satellite television)|Astro]]
{{endflatlist}}
|<ref name=IOC/>
|-
|Mexico
|[[Azteca (multimedia company)|Azteca]]
|<ref name="USA Today">{{cite news|last=Hiestand|first=Michael|title=NBC has company in the Olympic TV business|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/torino/2006-02-24-international-tv-coverage_x.htm|access-date=21 April 2013|newspaper=USA Today|date=24 February 2006|archive-date=24 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130224065657/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/torino/2006-02-24-international-tv-coverage_x.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|{{noflag}}Middle East
|[[Arab States Broadcasting Union|ASBU]]
|<ref name=Torino2006/>
|-
|Netherlands
|[[Nederlandse Omroep Stichting|NOS]]
|<ref name=Akamai/>
|-
|New Zealand
|[[Television New Zealand|TVNZ]]
|<ref name=IOC>{{cite web|title=Torino 2006 Broadcast|url=http://www.olympic.org/Documents/Reports/EN/en_report_1143.pdf|work=International Olympic Committee|publisher=Olympic.org|access-date=21 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823150153/http://www.olympic.org/Documents/Reports/EN/en_report_1143.pdf|archive-date=23 August 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|Norway
|[[NRK]]
|<ref name="USA Today"/>
|-
|Puerto Rico
|[[Telemundo]]
|<ref>{{cite news|last=Martzke|first=Rudy|title=NBC keeps rights for Olympic broadcasts through 2012|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2003-06-06-nbc_x.htm|access-date=21 April 2013|newspaper=USA Today|date=6 June 2003|archive-date=4 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104051646/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2003-06-06-nbc_x.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|Romania
|[[Televiziunea Română|TVR]]
|<ref name="USA Today"/>
|-
|Serbia and Montenegro
|{{flatlist}}
*[[Radio Television of Serbia|RTS]]
* [[Radio Television of Kosovo|RTK]]
{{endflatlist}}
|<ref>{{cite news|title=Praznik u Torinu|url=http://www.vreme.co.rs/cms/view.php?id=441608|access-date=2 February 2016|newspaper=Vreme|date=2 February 2006|archive-date=6 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206153103/http://www.vreme.co.rs/cms/view.php?id=441608|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Histori e Shkurtër|url=http://www.rtklive.com/new/rtk/?cid=1,2&p=histori|access-date=2 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409074716/http://www.rtklive.com/new/rtk/?cid=1,2&p=histori|archive-date=9 April 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|South Africa
|[[SuperSport (South African TV channel)|SuperSport]]
|<ref name=IOC/>
|-
|South Korea
|{{flatlist}}
*[[Korean Broadcasting System|KBS]]
*[[Seoul Broadcasting System|SBS]]
{{endflatlist}}
|<ref name=Torino2006/>
|-
|Sweden
|[[Sveriges Television|SVT]]
|<ref name=IOC/>
|-
|Switzerland
|[[SRG SSR]]
|<ref name=Akamai/>
|-
|United Kingdom
|[[BBC]]
|<ref>{{cite news|title=BBC coverage of Winter Olympics|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/winter_sports/schedule/4581754.stm|access-date=21 April 2013|newspaper=BBC Sport|date=8 February 2006|archive-date=27 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227180945/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/winter_sports/schedule/4581754.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|United States
|[[NBC]]
|<ref>{{cite news|last=Mahan|first=Colin|title=NBC set to begin coverage of 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy|url=http://www.tv.com/news/nbc-set-to-begin-coverage-of-2006-winter-olympics-in-torino-italy-3220/|access-date=21 April 2013|newspaper=TV.com|date=10 February 2006|archive-date=4 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904082901/http://www.tv.com/news/nbc-set-to-begin-coverage-of-2006-winter-olympics-in-torino-italy-3220/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|}

==Controversies==
The Games had issues with covering costs and international attendance. Due to a lack of funding by the Italian Government, TOROC risked dissolution.

===Metro===
The [[Turin Metro|metro]] was finally opened to the public on 4 February 2006, after a 45-day delay. It operated on a shorter stretch (''XVIII Dicembre'' (Porta Susa) to ''Fermi'' – 11 stations) than originally forecast; it finally reached the main railway station (''Porta Nuova'') and the rest of the city centre more than one year after the Games, in October 2007. For the duration of the Games, a single ticket (5 euros) covered use of both the metro and other means of public transportation for a whole day. However, during the Games, metro service stopped at 6:00&nbsp;pm, making it impractical for spectators of evening events. Furthermore, the metro did not reach any of the Olympic venues. On the other hand, the bus service was heavily improved for the Games, although still inadequate at night hours.{{Citation needed|date=June 2007}}

===Doping===
During the games, Italian police raided the Austrian athletes' quarters in search of evidence of blood doping. The raid was conducted due to suspicions over the presence of biathlon coach [[Walter Mayer]], who had been banned from all Olympic events up to and including the [[2010 Winter Olympics|Vancouver Olympic Games in 2010]] due to previous doping convictions. Around the time of the raid Mayer and two Austrian biathletes, Wolfgang Perner and Wolfgang Rottmann, tried to escape and fled back to Austria. Later, the Austrian ski federation president said that the two athletes told him they "may have used illegal methods". Six skiers and four biathletes were also taken for drug screens by the [[IOC]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Ariel|last=David|url=https://www.scribd.com/document/102464771/2006-02-22|title=Austrians change tune about inquiry|date=22 February 2006|access-date=24 October 2016|agency=The Associated Press|publisher=The University Daily Kansan|location=Lawrence, Kansas, US|page=3B|archive-date=25 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025044302/https://www.scribd.com/document/102464771/2006-02-22|url-status=live}}</ref> Those substance screens later returned negative results.

On 25 April 2007, six Austrian athletes ([[Roland Diethard]], [[Johannes Eder]], [[Wolfgang Perner]], [[Jürgen Pinter]], [[Wolfgang Rottmann]] and [[Martin Tauber]]) were banned for life from the Olympics for their involvement in the doping scandal at the 2006 Turin Olympics, the first time the [[IOC]] punished athletes without a positive or missed doping test. The Austrians were found guilty of possessing doping substances and taking part in a conspiracy, based on materials seized by Italian police during the raid on the living quarters. The Austrians also had their competition results from Turin annulled.<ref name=AustTurin>{{cite web|agency=The Associated Press|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2007-04-25-austrians-banned_N.htm|title=Six Austrians banned from Olympics in Turin doping scandal|publisher=USA Today|date=26 April 2007|access-date=24 October 2016|archive-date=11 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111091019/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2007-04-25-austrians-banned_N.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

List of athletes with doping convictions in these Games:
* Russian [[Olga Medvedtseva|Olga Pyleva]] was stripped of her silver and other medals in the 15&nbsp;km biathlon event after testing positive for [[carphedon]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,185095,00.html|title=Russian Biathlete Expelled From Torino for Doping|website=[[Fox News]] |date=16 February 2006|language=en-US|access-date=6 August 2016|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120703025129/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,185095,00.html|archive-date=3 July 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Brazilian bobsled athlete [[Armando dos Santos (bobsleigh)|Armando dos Santos]], ejected from the Games after a preventive antidoping test came positive (the results were from a test conducted in Brazil).<ref name="AdS2006">{{cite web|title=Dos Santos expelled from Brazilian bobsled team for doping|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/print?id=2330182&type=story|agency=Associated Press|access-date=22 February 2009|archive-date=26 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026072636/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=2330182&type=story|url-status=live}}</ref>

The IOC has retested nearly 500 doping samples that were collected at the 2006 Turin Games. In 2014, the Estonian Olympic Committee was notified by the IOC that a retested sample from cross-country skier [[Kristina Šmigun]] had tested positive. On 24 October 2016, the [[World Anti-Doping Agency]] Athletes' Commission stated that Šmigun, who won two gold medals at the Turin Games, faces a [[Court of Arbitration for Sport]] hearing before the end of October.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1042965/smigun-vahi-facing-cas-hearing-after-positive-retest-at-turin-2006|title=Šmigun-Vähi facing CAS hearing after "positive" retest at Turin 2006|work=INSIDETHEGAMES.BIZ|first=Nick|last=Butler|date=24 October 2016|access-date=24 October 2016|publisher=Dunsar Media Company Limited|archive-date=25 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025115726/http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1042965/smigun-vahi-facing-cas-hearing-after-positive-retest-at-turin-2006|url-status=live}}</ref> In December 2017, IOC announced that re-analysis of samples resulted in no positive cases.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1059102/estonian-cross-country-skier-looks-to-be-in-clear-as-ioc-announce-no-positive-results-in-turin-2006-re-analysis|title=Estonian cross-country skier looks to be in clear as IOC announce no positive results in Turin 2006 re-analysis|date=13 December 2017|website=www.insidethegames.biz|first=Nick|last=Butler|access-date=21 February 2022|archive-date=21 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221173207/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1059102/estonian-cross-country-skier-looks-to-be-in-clear-as-ioc-announce-no-positive-results-in-turin-2006-re-analysis|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Ratings and attendance===
{{Globalize|date=February 2010}}
A number of events reported low spectator attendance despite having acceptable ticket sales.<!-- citation needed, although is a personal opinion --> Preliminary competition and locally less popular sports failed to attract capacity crowd as expected. Organizers explained this was because blocks of seats were reserved or purchased by sponsors and partners who later did not show up at the events.{{Citation needed|date=February 2010}}

Several news organizations reported that many Americans were not as interested in the Olympics as in years past.<ref name="Interest">{{cite news|title=Ciao to the Winter Games |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/26/AR2006022600137_pf.html |date=26 February 2006 |author=Shipley, Amy |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=19 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105125306/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/26/AR2006022600137_pf.html |archive-date=5 November 2012 |url-status=live  }}</ref> It has been suggested that reasons for this lack of interest include the [[Broadcast delay|tape delayed]] coverage, which showed events in prime-time as much as 18 hours later in the Western United States.<ref name="Ratings">{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/winter06/columns/story?id=2345588 |title=The best, and real, drama is always at Olympics |date=26 February 2006 |publisher=[[ESPN]] |author=Caple, Jim |access-date=19 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111207030153/http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/winter06/columns/story?id=2345588 |archive-date=7 December 2011 |url-status=live  }}</ref>  Primetime viewing figures in Canada were also disappointing, especially after the early exit of the Canadian men's hockey team,<ref name="Canada ratings 2">{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060223.wxolyblues0223_3/BNStory/Torino2006/home |title=Olympic hockey loss misses the net for CBC ratings |author1=McArthur, Keith |author2=Robertson, Grant |date=23 February 2006 |access-date=19 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124113816/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060223.wxolyblues0223_3/BNStory/Torino2006/home |archive-date=24 January 2016 |url-status=dead |location=Toronto |work=The Globe and Mail  }}</ref> though overall viewing figures were up from 2002.<ref name="Canada ratings">{{cite news |title=Olympics lose against fake games |author=Brioux, Bill |date=23 February 2006 }}</ref>

==Olympic legacy==
[[File:Oval2009.jpg|thumb|Torino's Olympic Oval hosting the 2009 European Athletics Indoor]]
The Olympics represented an opportunity to revamp the city's look and change its traditional image as an industrial city by showing the world its hidden side of vibrant cultural life and stunning architectures.
Thanks to the olympic exposure and state of the art venues, Turin has become one of Italy's primary tourist destinations and has been established as an important sport center in Europe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.olympic.org/news/turin-enjoys-on-going-tourism-legacy-of-2006-winter-games/222028|title=Turin enjoys on-going tourism legacy of 2006 Winter Games|date=21 July 2016|website=www.olympic.org|access-date=27 January 2014|archive-date=28 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140128113227/http://www.olympic.org/news/turin-enjoys-on-going-tourism-legacy-of-2006-winter-games/222028|url-status=live}}</ref>

Since 2006, TOP ([[Torino Olympic Park]]) has been the agency in charge of managing the Olympic facilities.

==Security measures==
As with every Olympics since the [[Munich massacre]] at the [[1972 Summer Olympics]] and then increasingly since the [[2002 Winter Olympics|Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympics]] in the aftermath of the [[September 11 attacks]], there was heavy security due to fears of terrorism.

The organizers further increased security measures<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/06/AR2006020600655.html The Washington Post]{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> in connection with the [[Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy]] and insisted that the Olympic Games were going to be safe, which they were; the Olympics concluded without a major breach of security occurring.

==See also==
{{IOC seealso|games=2006 Winter Olympics }}
* [[2026 Winter Olympics]]-[[Milan]]-[[Cortina d'Ampezzo]]
* [[:Category:Competitors at the 2006 Winter Olympics]]
* [[Neve and Gliz]]
* [[Bids for Olympic Games]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
* {{IOC games|games=2006 Winter Olympics }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130315115259/http://www.torino2006.it/ENG/OlympicGames/home/index.html Official site]
* City of Turin – [https://web.archive.org/web/20150222012327/http://www.comune.torino.it/canaleturismo/en/ English]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080507191521/http://www.marcolympics.org/jeux/2006-2008/winter/index.php The program of the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics]

{{s-start}}
{{s-sports|woly}}
{{s-bef|before=[[2002 Winter Olympics|Salt Lake City]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=XX Olympic Winter Games<br />[[Turin]]|years=2006}}
{{s-aft|after=[[2010 Winter Olympics|Vancouver]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Olympic Games}}
{{Events at the 2006 Winter Olympics}}
{{Nations at the 2006 Winter Olympics}}
{{2006 Winter Olympic venues}}
{{Economy of Italy}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Portal bar|Olympics|Italy|Sports|2000s}}

[[Category:2006 Winter Olympics| ]]
[[Category:2006 in Italian sport|W]]
[[Category:Sports competitions in Turin]]
[[Category:Olympic Games in Italy]]
[[Category:Winter Olympics by year]]
[[Category:2006 in winter sports|Olympics]]
[[Category:2006 in multi-sport events]]
[[Category:February 2006 sports events in Europe]]
[[Category:Winter sports competitions in Italy]]
[[Category:2000s in Turin]]