Manslaughter inquiry launched after security guard’s death at Winter Olympics site
Italian prosecutors have initiated a manslaughter inquiry following the death of a security guard at a Winter Olympics construction site in Cortina d’Ampezzo, reports BritPanorama.
Pietro Zantonini, 55, collapsed during the early hours of 8 January while patrolling the Olympic ice rink development in the Italian Alps. He began a 12-hour overnight shift at 7pm on 7 January, required to inspect the site at two-hour intervals throughout the night. The temperature that evening fell to minus 12 degrees Celsius.
According to sources, the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Belluno province is investigating potential “aggravating circumstances related to environmental and safety conditions” surrounding the incident. Michele Grassi, director of SS Security & Bodyguard, the company that employed Zantonini, has been identified as the principal suspect in this inquiry.
Zantonini had been stationed in a small cabin equipped with a portable heater, spending most of his hours there. Shortly before 2am, he reported breathing difficulties to a colleague before departing for his scheduled patrol. Paramedics arrived to find him unresponsive; efforts at resuscitation were ultimately unsuccessful.
A post-mortem examination confirmed that an acute cardiac event was the cause of death. Zantonini’s widow has lodged a formal complaint with Italian authorities, alleging that hazardous working conditions contributed to his demise. His family maintains that he had “repeatedly expressed concerns and complaints about working conditions,” highlighting the need for judicial scrutiny regarding safety standards at major event sites.
Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini has called for a comprehensive investigation, stating that workplace safety must take precedence over project timelines. “Workplace safety is a priority, and it must be taken before any other aspect,” he emphasized, following the tragic incident that left local officials “deeply saddened and troubled.”
Further inquiries are anticipated before the end of May to determine if a link exists between the site conditions and Zantonini’s death, which is currently classified as due to natural causes. The broader implications of this case resonate with ongoing discussions about safety standards and labour conditions as the countdown to the 2026 Winter Olympics continues.
In a season where ambition meets harsh reality, Zantonini’s tragic fate underscores the sobering stakes behind the glittering facade of major international events. Promises of safety and welfare now hang precariously in the balance, reminding all involved that progress should never be built on the back of neglect.
