{"id":2033582,"date":"2026-07-08T20:23:32","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T17:23:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2033582"},"modified":"2026-07-08T20:23:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T17:23:32","slug":"nordic-combined-skiing-dropped-from-olympic-program-after-over-100-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2033582","title":{"rendered":"Nordic Combined Skiing Dropped from Olympic Program After Over 100 Years"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_229163\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-229163\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-229163 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAFoAQMAAAD9\/NgSAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADJJREFUeNrtwQENAAAAwqD3T+3sARQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN3HoAAEwzlS7AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt=\"cross country\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/nordic-comp-thumb.jpg?resize=640%2C360&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/nordic-comp-thumb.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/nordic-comp-thumb.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/nordic-comp-thumb.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/nordic-comp-thumb.jpg?resize=600%2C338&amp;ssl=1 600w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"360\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-229163\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/nordic-comp-thumb.jpg?resize=640%2C360&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"cross country\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-229163\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Three skiers race in a Nordic Combined event at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. | Credit: nbcolympics.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-1\" style=\"margin: 8px auto;text-align: center;display: block;clear: both\">\n<!-- GAM 71161633\/SNWBR_snowbrains\/article_hrec_1 --><\/p>\n<div data-fuse=\"article_hrec_1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>While the Olympics may be adding multiple new disciplines for its next Winter Games, it will go without a familiar, iconic competition for the first time in Winter Games\u2019 history.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>After over 100 years on the Olympic program, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided to drop Nordic Combined from the Games. <\/strong>Nordic Combined, which features cross-country skiing and ski jumping, has been at every Olympic Games since its inaugural event in Chamonix, France, in 1924.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The decision to cut Nordic Combined from the program has left the disciplines\u2019 athletes, coaches, and directors in shock and disappointment. <\/strong>Advocates for the sport have spent years trying to prove that the sport deserves an Olympic stage, with women recently competing alongside men.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cToday\u2019s decision by the IOC is extremely disappointing,\u201d said Nordic Combined Race Director Lasse Ottesen in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DafvusugjUg\/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">statement posted<\/a> by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS).\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cI am at a loss for words and struggle to understand the reasoning behind it. Nordic Combined has been at the heart of Nordic skiing and part of the Olympic Winter Games since 1924. That is why today\u2019s decision is so difficult to accept and even harder to understand.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-16\" style=\"margin: 8px 0;clear: both\">\n<div id=\"sb-newsletter\" style=\"background:#2B2E3A;border-top:3px solid #D7424E;padding:26px 24px 22px;margin:28px 0;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;width:100%;display:block\">\n<p>    @media (max-width:600px) {<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter { padding:18px 20px 14px !important; }<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter h3 { font-size:14px !important; white-space:nowrap; }<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter .sb-body { font-size:12px !important; margin-bottom:8px !important; }<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter .sb-proof { font-size:11px !important; }<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter .sb-form-row { flex-wrap:nowrap !important; }<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter .sb-form-row input { font-size:12px !important; padding:9px 10px !important; }<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter .sb-form-row button { font-size:12px !important; padding:9px 12px !important; }<br \/>\n    }<\/p>\n<div id=\"sb-form-wrap\">\n<p style=\"font-size:13px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:2px;text-transform:uppercase;color:#D7424E;margin:0 0 9px 0;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">SnowBrains Newsletter<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:19px;font-weight:700;margin:0 0 6px 0;line-height:1.25;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">The snowsports journalism skiers trust.<\/h3>\n<p class=\"sb-body\" style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:13px;margin:0 0 8px 0;line-height:1.5;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">Award-winning journalism, resort reports, powder forecasts and industry deep dives from the world&#8217;s largest independent snowsports outlet.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sb-proof\" style=\"color:#9ca3af;font-size:12px;font-style:italic;margin:0 0 12px 0;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">Join thousands of snow lovers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sb-form-row\" style=\"display:flex;gap:8px;flex-wrap:wrap\">\n<p>      <button style=\"background:#D7424E;color:#fff;border:none;border-radius:4px;padding:10px 20px;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:700;cursor:pointer;white-space:nowrap\">Subscribe free \u2192<\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<p style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:11px;margin:10px 0 0 0;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">No spam. Unsubscribe any time.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"sb-success\" style=\"display:none\">\n<p style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:26px;font-weight:700;margin:0 0 8px 0;line-height:1.2;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">You&#8217;re in!<\/p>\n<p style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:15px;margin:0;line-height:1.5;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">Thanks for signing up. The best ski news is on its way.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>function sbSubscribe() {<br \/>\n  var email = document.getElementById(&#8216;sb-email&#8217;).value;<br \/>\n  if (!email || !email.includes(&#8216;@&#8217;)) {<br \/>\n    document.getElementById(&#8216;sb-email&#8217;).style.borderColor = &#8216;#D7424E&#8217;;<br \/>\n    return;<br \/>\n  }<br \/>\n  var url = &#8216;https:\/\/snowbrains.us5.list-manage.com\/subscribe\/post?u=1f247afab0a546e393c022f9a&amp;id=bcbf6caf6b&amp;f_id=003bf2e0f0&#8217;;<br \/>\n  var data = new FormData();<br \/>\n  data.append(&#8216;EMAIL&#8217;, email);<br \/>\n  data.append(&#8216;tags&#8217;, &#8216;2188762&#8217;);<br \/>\n  data.append(&#8216;b_1f247afab0a546e393c022f9a_bcbf6caf6b&#8217;, &#8221;);<br \/>\n  fetch(url, { method: &#8216;POST&#8217;, body: data, mode: &#8216;no-cors&#8217; });<br \/>\n  document.getElementById(&#8216;sb-form-wrap&#8217;).style.display = &#8216;none&#8217;;<br \/>\n  document.getElementById(&#8216;sb-success&#8217;).style.display = &#8216;block&#8217;;<br \/>\n}\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>Struggling With Popularity<\/h2>\n<p><strong>The IOC\u2019s decision to drop Nordic Combined was based on a global study on the discipline\u2019s popularity.\u00a0<\/strong>In the lead-up to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy, the IOC said Nordic Combined \u201cby far\u201d had the lowest audience numbers of the previous three Olympics, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7425425\/2026\/07\/07\/2030-olympics-nordic-combined-freeriding-program-cuts-adds\/\"><em>The Athletic<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201c<\/strong><strong>Based on the findings of this study, together with trends observed across previous studies of past editions of the Olympic Winter Games, the IOC (executive board) discussed the status of Nordic combined and decided not to include the discipline on the Alpes 2030 programme,\u201d the IOC stated in its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olympics.com\/ioc\/news\/alpes-2030-to-be-first-gender-equal-olympic-winter-games-freeride-ski-and-snowboard-and-synchro9-figure-skating-athletes-to-debut\">press release<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>In addition to small audiences, Nordic Combined has struggled to grow more popular in countries around the world. <\/strong>It is a sport traditionally dominated by Norway, which won gold in all three of the discipline\u2019s events at the 2026 Games. The remaining medals were either won by Finland or Austria.<\/p>\n<h2>A Rare Removal<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Dropping Nordic Combined from the program is a surprising move, given the rarity of the situation. <\/strong>The IOC has not dropped a sport or discipline from the Winter Olympics since bobsled took a single-Games hiatus at the Squaw Valley, California, Games in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olympics.com\/en\/olympic-games\/squaw-valley-1960\">1960<\/a>. It was removed from that program because organizers did not want to build a venue.<\/p>\n<h2>Something New<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Also in a rare move, the IOC has decided to add freeride skiing and snowboarding to the 2030 program, effectively taking Nordic Combined\u2019s place. <\/strong>Freeriding is the third completely new sport introduced in the Winter Olympics in the last 30 years. The second most recent addition was ski mountaineering (skimo), which made its debut in Milano-Cortina 2026.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Joining freeriding in 2030 will be synchro9, a mixed singles relay in biathlon, men\u2019s and women\u2019s team sprints in speed skating, mixed team events in freestyle ski cross and snowboard parallel, plus a ski jumping women\u2019s super team event. <\/strong>Skimo will once again be included.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Related: <em><a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/ski-mountaineering-approved-for-the-2030-olympic-winter-games\/\">Ski Mountaineering Approved for the 2030 Olympic Winter Games<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>With the inclusion of freeriding and the other additions, the IOC says the 203o Games will be the first gender-equal Olympics.<\/strong> For the first time, 50% of the Games\u2019 athletes will be women, with 56 women\u2019s events, 55 men\u2019s events, and 15 mixed events. Nordic Combined has slowly become more popular among women, with the FIS launching its women\u2019s Nordic Combined World Cup circuit in 2020. While Nordic Combined athletes had hoped that its deeper field, which saw more women competing, would help make a better case for its inclusion, the IOC did not take that into account.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cWe were assessing the discipline and not necessarily the men or the women,\u201d IOC sports director Pierre Ducrey said in a press conference after the announcement, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7425425\/2026\/07\/07\/2030-olympics-nordic-combined-freeriding-program-cuts-adds\/\"><em>The Athletic<\/em><\/a>.<\/strong> \u201cWhat was really at stake was the universality of Nordic combined overall as a discipline, its capacity to raise audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>That\u2019s where freeriding made its difference felt.\u00a0<\/strong>The Freeride World Tour, which includes 11,000 riders from 76 countries, captures attention. Its big mountain freestyle personality, dangerous lines, and pristine terrain capture the sport\u2019s action along with the backdrop of the Alps.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Related: <em><a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/freeride-skiing-and-snowboarding-to-debut-at-2030-winter-olympics\/\">Freeride Skiing and Snowboarding to Debut at 2030 Winter Olympics<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>A Potential Return in 2034<\/h2>\n<p><strong>While it will not be included in 2030, the IOC left the door open for Nordic Combined\u2019s reintroduction in 2034 in Salt Lake City, Utah.\u00a0<\/strong>While it has a steep road ahead without Olympic inclusion, the sport\u2019s leaders are determined to make a comeback.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cDespite all, we will never lose the confidence in the future of our sport and give everything we have to come back even stronger,\u201d FIS Nordic Combined wrote in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DafvusugjUg\/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==\">post<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_415414\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-415414\" style=\"width: 585px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-415414 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAkkAAAHAAQMAAACMGW76AAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADdJREFUeNrtwTEBAAAAwqD1T20Hb6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOA3g0AAASR8H28AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" alt width=\"585\" height=\"448\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/nordic-combined.jpg?resize=585%2C448&amp;ssl=1\" data-eio-rwidth=\"585\" data-eio-rheight=\"448\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\" wp-image-415414\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/nordic-combined.jpg?resize=585%2C448&amp;ssl=1\" alt width=\"585\" height=\"448\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-415414\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nordic Combined has been in the Winter Olympics for over a century since the Games\u2019 inception in 1924. | Credit: Alf Engen Ski Museum Facebook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><!-- CONTENT END 1 -->\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Three skiers race in a Nordic Combined event at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. | Credit: nbcolympics.com While the Olympics may be adding multiple new disciplines for its next Winter Games, it will go without a familiar, iconic competition for the first time in Winter Games\u2019 history. After over 100 years on the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,267],"class_list":["post-2033582","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-snowbrains-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2033582","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2033582"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2033582\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2033582"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2033582"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2033582"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}