IOC Drops 102-Year Nordic Combined From 2030 Olympics as Freeride and 8 New Events Join
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 7
IOC Drops 102-Year Nordic Combined From 2030 Olympics as Freeride and 8 New Events Join
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 7
Summary
2030 will mark the first Winter Olympics without Nordic combined after the IOC removed the sport from the French Alps program despite its presence at every Games since 1924.
The IOC said a global popularity study drove the cut, citing weak audience numbers, limited country diversity and the sport’s failure to add a women’s event even by the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games.
Freeride skiing and snowboarding will debut instead, joined by synchronized figure skating, a mixed biathlon singles relay, speed skating team sprints and several new mixed and women’s team events.
Those additions make 2030 the first gender-equal Winter Olympics, with 50% of athlete quota spots for women across 56 women’s events, 55 men’s events and 15 mixed events.
Nordic combined can seek a return for 2034 in Salt Lake City, but losing Olympic status raises the hurdle for a sport already struggling to broaden participation and its international footprint.