IOC drops Nordic combined from 2030 Winter Olympics, adds freeride and synchro skating
The International Olympic Committee removed the 102-year-old discipline from the 2030 French Alps program on Tuesday, while adding freeride skiing and synchronized skating to attract younger audiences.
The decision
The International Olympic Committee's executive board, meeting in Lausanne on 7 July 2026, voted to drop Nordic combined from the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps. The discipline, which combines ski jumping and cross-country skiing, had appeared in every Winter Games since the inaugural edition in Chamonix in 1924. It was the only remaining Olympic winter sport restricted to men.
We know and can fully understand that this may come as a disappointment.
The IOC also confirmed that snowboard parallel giant slalom, which had been at risk, would stay on the program, citing improved popularity indicators since Beijing 2022.
Reasons for removal
The IOC justified the cut with stark audience data. Nordic combined ranked lowest across most popularity indicators at Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018, Beijing 2022 and the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Games. At the most recent Winter Olympics, it was the lowest-ranked discipline in 11 of 14 assessed metrics. The committee also pointed to limited universality and a narrow base of competitive nations. In 2022, Olympic chiefs had already rejected a women's event for 2026, citing insufficient global reach.
- Nordic combined debuts at the first Winter Olympics in Chamonix.
- IOC rejects a women's event for Milano Cortina 2026, citing low universality.
- IOC executive board drops the discipline from the 2030 French Alps program.
- First Winter Games without Nordic combined.
- IOC President says the possibility of a return remains open.
New disciplines
Freeride skiing and snowboard will make their Olympic debut in 2030. The discipline takes athletes off traditional slopes to perform jumps and turns on natural terrain. Synchronized skating, contested in the nine-skater Synchro9 format, also joins the program. It will be female-only when it first appears at the 2028 Youth Winter Olympics in Italy, with a future decision left open for men to compete in the French Alps.
Gender parity milestone
The 2030 Games will be the first Winter Olympics to achieve full gender parity among athletes. A total of 3,046 competitors (1,525 women and 1,521 men) will take part across 126 events. Four sports, luge, skiing, bobsleigh and ice hockey, increased their athlete quotas by up to seven percent to reach the balance.
Reactions
The International Ski Federation expressed disappointment. FIS President Alexander Ospelt said the sport had been observing clear growth and broader international participation, especially with the inclusion of women's competitions. He added the federation would work to see Nordic combined return in 2034.
Our first reaction is, inevitably, one of disappointment.
Finnish athlete Ilkka Herola, a medallist at Milano Cortina, called the decision an incredibly difficult day for the sport, but said the community would keep pushing for an Olympic return. IOC President Kirsty Coventry left the door open for 2034, telling officials the possibility could always remain.
