LAUSANNE: Ski mountaineering has been officially approved as an additional sport on the programme for the Alpes 2030 Olympic Winter Games. The landmark decision was taken at the 146th International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The approval follows a strong recommendation from the IOC Executive Board, which was based on a proposal submitted by the French Alps 2030 Organising Committee (OCOG) and rigorously reviewed by the IOC’s Olympic Programme Working Group (OPWG).
Building on Olympic Momentum
Ski mountaineering made its Olympic debut as an additional sport at the recently concluded Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. According to OPWG Chair Karl Stoss, the sport’s inaugural Olympic outing was a resounding success, featuring exciting head-to-head racing in challenging weather, strong spectator engagement, and a format that proved easy for new audiences to follow.
Since the sport was provisionally added to the Olympic programme in 2021, its global footprint has expanded significantly:
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The number of participating National Olympic Committees (NOCs) has increased by over 45 percent.
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The number of registered athlete club members within the International Ski Mountaineering Federation has more than doubled.
“We recognised the sport’s potential to add meaningful value to the programme, supported by its strong presence in Alpine regions, and its ability to enhance diversity, authenticity, and appeal, while building on its growing Olympic momentum.” — Karl Stoss, OPWG Chair
The Vision for Alpes 2030
A delegation from the French Alps 2030 Organising Committee—including President Edgar Grospiron, CEO Vincent Roberti, Sports Director Mathilde Meurisse, and Olympic gold and silver medallist Emily Harrop—presented the proposal to the IOC Session.
Grospiron emphasized that ski mountaineering is deeply rooted in the history and identity of the Alps. “In the Alps, ski mountaineering is not a guest – it is at home. It is part of the scenery. Part of our landscapes. Part of our culture,” he stated.
The intention for the Alpes 2030 Games is to feature a total quota of 72 athletes competing across five events in two disciplines:
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Women’s and Men’s Individual Races
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Women’s, Men’s, and Mixed Relay Sprints
Next Steps and Finalization
The IOC Executive Board has slightly adjusted the timeline for finalizing the Alpes 2030 discipline and event programme, as well as exact athlete quotas. This is to separate the process from other ongoing discussions at the 146th IOC Session. Final decisions are expected in the coming weeks, following a comprehensive programme review informed by data collected from the Milano Cortina 2026 Games.
The seven core sports on the Alpes 2030 initial programme—biathlon, bobsleigh, curling, ice hockey, luge, skating, and skiing/snowboarding—were previously approved at the 142nd IOC Session in Paris in July 2024.
