Rome brings curling to the Colosseum, without ice

In the shadow of the Colosseum, Rome's latest sporting attraction is an unlikely one: a curling rink. The New York Times reports that sports officials have set up the installation to capitalise on the fresh popularity of curling following the Winter Olympics, despite the city being in the grip of a summer heatwave and the rink having no ice.

The initiative is part of a broader push to bring winter sports to a wider Italian audience, a strategy that has gained traction since the Olympics. The rink, which uses a synthetic surface instead of ice, allows visitors to try the sport in the middle of a Roman summer, a stark contrast to the frozen venues where curling is usually played.