GENEVA - The International Olympic Committee decided Tuesday to exclude Nordic combined skiing from the 2030 Winter Games in the French Alps, drawing immediate criticism from skiing's global ruling body.
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) said the decision, made at an online meeting of the IOC Executive Board, removed a "cornerstone" event that has been part of every Winter Olympics since the inaugural games in Chamonix, France, in 1924.
Japanese athletes have enjoyed notable success over the years in Nordic combined, which incorporates ski jumping and cross-country skiing.
Japan won team gold medals at the 1992 Albertville and 1994 Lillehammer Olympics, led by stars such as Kenji Ogiwara. Akito Watabe claimed four medals over the span of three Olympics from Sochi in 2014 through Beijing in 2022.
The IOC had expressed concerns over the event's limited global reach and low popularity, while the absence of a women's competition at the Olympics was also seen as a drawback.
But FIS President Alexander Ospelt said Nordic combined had been "observing clear and tangible growth and an ever-broader international participation over the last few years," especially among women.
"This is a very hard decision for FIS and for our national ski associations," Ospelt said in a statement.
The IOC decided to keep snowboard parallel giant slalom on the 2030 program after the event was considered at risk for removal. It also decided to introduce synchronized figure skating, as well as freeride skiing and snowboard, for the first time at an Olympics.
The IOC meanwhile lifted its recommendation that international sports federations restrict Russian athletes to competing only as neutrals, effectively opening the door for Russia's return to international competition under its flag and anthem ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The IOC also provisionally reinstated the Russian Olympic Committee's membership, which had been suspended over its invasion of Ukraine.
It stated that athletes should not be held accountable for the actions of their government and cited a need to ensure equal access to Olympic qualification events already underway.
Final decisions on Russian participation remain with individual international federations, while returning athletes will face enhanced anti-doping testing requirements.
