DistantNews
Support us
Nordic combined cut from Winter Olympics program starting 2030
🇩🇪 Germany /Sports

Nordic combined cut from Winter Olympics program starting 2030

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Outcome reported
  • The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has removed Nordic combined from the Winter Olympics program starting with the 2030 Games in France.
  • The sport was excluded due to low audience popularity and a lack of competitive diversity, with only a few nations winning medals.
  • Nordic combined, which debuted in 1924, was the last remaining Winter Olympic sport without female participation.

The era of Nordic combined at the Winter Olympics is over, at least for now. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that the sport will not be part of the competition program for the 2030 Winter Games in the French Alps, marking an end to its century-long presence.

The IOC cited declining audience interest and a lack of broad competitive representation as key reasons for its decision. Studies indicated that Nordic combined was the least popular sport among spectators during the 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026 Winter Games. Furthermore, the sport's medal winners have consistently come from a very small pool of nations, with only five different countries securing medals across the last four Winter Olympics.

This decision represents a significant blow to Nordic combined, as athletes and governing bodies had campaigned for years to retain its Olympic status. Had the IOC opted to keep the sport, there was a strong possibility that women would have competed for the first time in 2030. Nordic combined has been a staple of the Winter Olympics since its inception in 1924. Notably, it was the last Winter Olympic sport that did not include female athletes until this year.

I would be there on site and could live my childhood dream - but I am not allowed to. Because I am a woman.

— Nathalie ArmbrusterA top German competitor in Nordic combined, expressing frustration over the exclusion of women from the sport.

Nathalie Armbruster, a top German competitor, had been a vocal advocate for the sport's inclusion and for women's participation. During the recent Milan-Cortina Winter Games, she expressed her frustration: "I would be there on site and could live my childhood dream – but I am not allowed to. Because I am a woman." Her sentiment highlights the long-standing gender disparity within the sport.

The IOC based its decision on extensive data collection, including television ratings, spectator numbers, and social media engagement. While acknowledging the challenges faced by Nordic combined, IOC Sport Director Pierre Ducrey noted that the evaluation of data from the recent Italian Winter Games ultimately tipped the scales against the sport's inclusion. In contrast, the IOC confirmed that the parallel giant slalom in snowboarding will remain in the competition program.

We are aware of the challenges facing Nordic combined for both men and women.

— Pierre DucreyIOC Sport Director, commenting on the sport's situation prior to the decision.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog