The French Alps 2030 program is now finalized. On Tuesday, the IOC approved its definitive version. Three disciplines and 16 events have been added with the aim of " strengthening gender equality, innovation and youth interest And as expected, there will be some who are happy, and some who are unhappy.
Freeride IN, combined OUT
The biggest project concerns the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS). It is retaining the parallel giant slalom in snowboarding, which was openly threatened, thanks to " significant progress "since Beijing 2022 on several popularity indicators. The Nordic combined, however, does not pass the cut and is being dropped from the program. A bombshell for one of the historic sports of the Winter Olympics. At the last Winter Olympics, this discipline ranked last in 11 of the 14 popularity indicators assessed., explains the IOC. Furthermore, this discipline still faces obstacles in terms of universality and participation in the Olympic Games. Only five National Olympic Committees have won medals in Nordic combined during the last four editions of the Winter Olympic Games. »
The FIS, however, can be pleased with the arrival of freeride skiing and snowboarding, mixed team ski cross, mixed team parallel snowboarding, and the women's "super team" in ski jumping. Freeriding has experienced explosive international growth, thanks to a young and passionate audience and spectacular competitions. It takes place in the great outdoors, which minimizes its impact on the Games. " explains the IOC.
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The International Skating Union is among the winners of this upheaval. Its new synchronized figure skating format will make its Olympic debut in four years, rewarding the ISU's strategy. A key element in achieving gender parity "The IOC emphasizes. In speed skating, a team sprint is also added, for both men and women.
The International Biathlon Union (IBU) has added another event to its calendar with the inclusion of the single mixed relay. This format, featured at the World Championships since 2019, has the advantage of fitting in with current trends: it is mixed (one man and one woman in each team) and dynamic, with races lasting approximately 35 minutes. As expected, ski mountaineering will be represented with the sprint, the individual race, and the mixed relay.
The finalization of the program and quotas already confirms that this edition will be the first Winter Games to achieve gender parity. 3.046 athletes are expected in France (and the Netherlands): 1.525 women and 1.521 men. This is a major step forward that demonstrates the evolution of sport and its ability to better represent the talents and ambitions of all athletes., exclaims the president of COJOP, Edgar Grospiron. The chosen sporting program also reflects the Games' ability to reinvent themselves while remaining true to their core identity. The inclusion of freeride and synchronized figure skating illustrates this desire to open the Games to new disciplines and new audiences. In the French Alps, these sports will find an exceptional setting for their expression. »
