The International Olympic Committee made a pretty big splash on Tuesday after announcing the Olympic Winter Games Alpes 2030 program, including the exciting inclusion of Freeride skiing and snowboarding. But not all news related to the announcement was good news, and an event that’s been in the Winter Games since they began in 1924 will be left out for the first time ever.
The International Olympic Committee Executive Board decided to drop Nordic combined, an event that’s been in every rendition of the Winter Olympics, from the Alpes 2030 Winter Olympics program following a a global popularity study conducted during Milano Cortina 2026 that measured 14 indicators across broadcast coverage, digital media, public interest, ticketing and press in more than 50 markets.
Nordic combined ranked lowest among all Winter Games disciplines at the last four editions dating back to Sochi 2014. At Milano Cortina 2026 it finished last in 11 of 14 indicators. Only five national Olympic committees have won Nordic combined medals over that span. The event will stay on the Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 Youth Olympics schedule and could return for Utah 2034 through the new candidate discipline evaluation process.
“Our first reaction is, inevitably, one of disappointment… Nordic Combined has been a part of the Olympic Winter Games since the very first edition, in 1924, and is a cornerstone of Nordic skiing across all levels, especially in terms of athlete development. Not only that, but it is also a discipline that has been observing clear and tangible growth and an ever-broader international participation over the last few years thanks to the inclusion of women’s competitions. This is a very hard decision for FIS and for our National Ski Associations.” – International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) President Alexander Ospelt
Despite being in the Olympics since the beginning, Nordic combined was previously the only sport not to include women, a fact that the FIS has been trying to change for years. In 2022, the IOC declined to include Nordic Combined Women in the 2026 Olympics, citing a lack of participating nations and a lack of interest outside of Europe.
Yesterday’s decision by the IOC is a blow to both the men who’ve competed in the Olympics in the past and the women who’ve fought tirelessly to see themselves be included in future games.