FIS’ reaction to the announcement of the Olympic Winter Games Alpes 2030 program

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board announced today the finalized event and discipline program for the Alpes 2030 Olympic Winter Games. With a portfolio comprising around half of all medals distributed at the competition, FIS attentively followed the IOC process that resulted in the inclusion of Freeride as a new discipline and the exclusion of Nordic Combined from the Games after more than 100 years of history. 

“Our first reaction is, inevitably, one of disappointment,” said FIS President Alexander Ospelt after the IOC announcement, which cited Nordic Combined’s shortcomings across a set of 14 popularity indicators as the key reason for the discipline not to be retained. 

“Nordic Combined has been a part of the Olympic Winter Games since the very first edition, in 1924, and is a cornerstone of Nordic skiing across all levels, especially in terms of athlete development. Not only that, but it is also a discipline that has been observing clear and tangible growth and an ever-broader international participation over the last few years thanks to the inclusion of women’s competitions. This is a very hard decision for FIS and for our National Ski Associations,” said the FIS President. 

A look into the future 

Upon acknowledging the IOC decision, President Ospelt and Secretary General ad interim Urs Lehmann were prompt in reassuring that FIS stands alongside Nordic Combined and its future ─ in FIS competitions and beyond. 

“The fact that Nordic Combined will not be in the Games in 2030 changes nothing regarding our support for the discipline as an integral part of the FIS World Cup calendar and of the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. If anything, it’s a reason for us to back them up even more strongly,” said Lehmann.  

The goal is unquestionable, according to President Ospelt: “Having taken notice of the IOC’s new Olympic program methodology, the path for FIS is clear: we will understand the challenges pointed out by the IOC, will do everything within our power to overcome them, and will work hard to see Nordic Combined back in the Olympic Winter Games in 2034.” 

A meteoric rise for Freeride 

Just a few months after the successful delivery of the maiden FIS Freeride World Championships, in Andorra, Freeride has taken yet another step forward in its dazzling journey and is set to make its Olympic debut in 2030 ─ just 34 years after the establishment of its first competitive event, the Xtreme Verbier in 1996. 

The Freeride World Tour now counts on more than 10,000 licensed riders worldwide and more than 300 annual competitions across four continents. 

“It is clear why Freeride’s combination of raw excitement on a stunning natural terrain is an appealing addition to the Games,” said Ospelt. “Above and beyond that, Freeride is a success story on the development level: within a couple of decades, the discipline created a structured pathway for athletes to compete, from the junior level all the way to the elite.” 

Slight increase in athlete quota 

During its meeting in Lausanne, the IOC Executive Board also confirmed the athlete quotas for Alpes 2030, that is, the maximum number of athletes approved to compete in each discipline at the event.  

Across all FIS disciplines, the athlete quota is of 1264 ─ four more than in Milano Cortina 2026. The Alpes 2030 program also brings in the inclusion of three new events: Ski Jumping Women’s Super Team, Ski Cross Mixed Team, and Snowboard Mixed Team Parallel. 

“At a time when there is clearly very close scrutiny from the IOC, we welcome the fact that snow sports are set to be well represented,” said Ospelt. “This is precisely FIS’ strength: how broad our range of disciplines is.”