IOC Drops Nordic Combined from 2030 Winter Games

The International Olympic Committee has removed Nordic combined from the program for the 2030 Winter Games in the French Alps, ending the sport's unbroken run at the Olympics since 1924. The decision, announced Tuesday, clears the way for the Olympic debuts of freeride skiing and snowboarding and the synchronized figure skating team event known as Synchro9.

IOC officials cited consistently low popularity and limited global participation as the primary reasons for cutting Nordic combined, a discipline that combines ski jumping and cross-country skiing. The committee stated that across the past four Winter Games, Nordic combined ranked lowest among all disciplines in nearly every metric assessed, including broadcast coverage, digital engagement, and ticket sales. The sport also faced challenges with universality, with medals at those Games won by athletes from only five nations. All Olympic Nordic combined events have been for men only.

The announcement was met with disappointment from the sport's community. The president of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation said the initial reaction was one of disappointment. Finnish athlete Ilkka Herola, a recent Olympic medalist,...