IOC removes Nordic Combined from 2030 Winter Olympics after 102-year run

Decision announced

On Tuesday, the IOC Executive Board voted to remove Nordic Combined from the programme of the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps. The sport, which combines ski jumping and cross-country skiing, had been a fixture of every Winter Games since the inaugural edition in Chamonix in 1924. Long regarded as the "Königsdisziplin" (king's discipline) of winter sports, it had been under threat for several years. The parallel giant slalom in snowboarding, also under review, was retained.

Reasons cited by IOC

The IOC justified the decision by pointing to the sport's limited global appeal. According to the committee, Nordic Combined ranked last among all disciplines in most popularity indicators at the last four Winter Olympics: Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018, Beijing 2022, and Milano Cortina 2026. At the most recent Games, it placed last in 11 of 14 measured indicators. The IOC cited low international spread, a small pool of competitive nations, and weak television and social media reach. Data collected over years included TV ratings, spectator numbers, and Instagram engagement. The decisive evaluation came from the February 2026 Games in Italy. IOC Sport Director Pierre Ducrey had previously acknowledged the challenges.

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

Women's exclusion and athlete reaction

Women have never competed in Olympic Nordic Combined, making it the last remaining Winter Games sport without female participation. A women's World Cup circuit was launched in 2020, 37 years after the men's, but women were still barred from the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics. The IOC had indicated that either both genders would be included in 2030 or the sport would be dropped entirely. Germany's top female athlete, Nathalie Armbruster, campaigned for months to save the discipline and secure women's inclusion.

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

German dominance and reaction

Germany has been the sport's most successful nation in recent decades. East and West German athletes collected 12 medals between 1956 and 1988, and the unified German team added six Olympic golds and ten silver and bronze medals from 1992 onward. The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) expressed regret over the IOC's move. DOSB President Thomas Weikert said he shared the athletes' disappointment but acknowledged the need for a future-proof programme.

I share the disappointment of the athletes who have worked for years with great discipline, passion and sacrifice to realise their Olympic dream and must now live with this decision. At the same time, we must recognise that the IOC has to adapt the Olympic programme to changing conditions in the interest of future-proof Games.

What's next

The removal raises uncertainty for athletes whose funding and sponsorship often depend on Olympic status. The 2030 Winter Games in the French Alps will be the first without Nordic Combined in over a century.