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IOC Finalizes Alpes 2030 Programme, Adds Freeride and Synchronized Skating While Dropping Nordic Combined

The decision secures athlete gender parity, modernizes the event mix and concentrates sites, awaiting final approval from the IPC.

Fabrice Guy en pleine action sous les yeux de son compatriote Sylvain Guillaume (bandeau sur les cheveux) 
power his way uphill during the men's lors du relais 3x10 km de combiné nordique des Jeux olympiques d'Albertville le 18 février 1992 à Courchevel
Carte du sud-est de la France localisant les sites et épreuves des Jeux olympiques d'hiver 2030 en Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Hautes-Alpes et à Lyon
Lors du gala de clôture des championnats d'Europe de patinage synchronisé le 29 janvier 2023 à Espoo, en Finlande
Le rider suédois Carl Regner Eriksson lors des finales du Freeride World Tour Xtreme le 20 mars 2025 dans la station suisse de Verbier

Overview

  • The IOC executive commission finalized the full Alpes 2030 sporting programme on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, setting 126 events for 3,046 athletes with a 1,525 to 1,521 women-to-men quota split.
  • Freeride (ski and snowboard) and synchronized (artistic) skating were added and 26 new events were introduced, including mixed relays and team sprints designed to broaden youth appeal and spectator spectacle.
  • Nordic combined was removed after ranking lowest on the IOC’s measured indicators of popularity and showing limited universality and participation across recent Winter Games.
  • Organisers consolidated competition sites into four French poles — Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Briançonnais and Lyon — with long‑track speed skating assigned to Heerenveen in the Netherlands and Lyon taking the ice‑sports hub.
  • The IOC’s decision drew public disappointment from FIS president Alexander Ospelt and will affect athletes and national programmes, and the plan now awaits a formal sign‑off from the International Paralympic Committee expected later this week.