 Wide public interest in the 1980 Lake Placid USA Winter Olympics was  the inspiration for the production to use a Winter Olympics location  and to include story action within its associated sports. The film  used the Italian Alps location of Cortina DAmpezzo which had hosted  the 1956 Winter Olympics. As such, there are sequences set at  Cortina DAmpezzos Winter Olympic venues. Winter sports featured in  the film include the biathlon, ski jump, ice hockey, downhill  skiing, ice skating, cross