Female Nordic combined athletes plan protest over Olympic exclusion: 'It's so messed up'

Female athletes competing successful the Nordic combined lawsuit person planned a protestation against their exclusion from the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

The sport, which combines skis jumping and cross-country skiing, volition not person a women’s contention astatine the Winter Olympics adjacent month. It volition beryllium 1 of the fewer events that volition not person pistillate participants.

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Annika Malacinski of United States competes during the Women Individual Compact NH/5km of the FIS World Cup Nordic Combined Seefeld astatine connected Feb. 1, 2025 successful Seefeld, Austria. (Franz Kirchmayr/SEPA.Media /Getty Images)

American jock Annika Malacinski told Reuters that she and her competitors volition clasp up an "X" with their poles earlier they statesman a contention successful Seefeld, Austria, to symbolize "no exception."

"It's truthful messed up that the women are excluded, due to the fact that we checked disconnected everything that the IOC wanted to see, but astatine the extremity of the day, what hurts is that the IOC doesn't spot the prime of adding women. We can't spell different rhythm without afloat equality successful the Olympics," she told the outlet.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) told Reuters it recognized the issues the athletics faces successful presumption of popularity for some the men and women, including wide popularity and the deficiency of competitiveness.

"The IOC volition proceed to enactment the International Ski Federation (FIS) successful the improvement and promotion of Nordic Combined," the IOC said. "For this reason, the subject volition acquisition a afloat valuation pursuing the Olympic Winter Games Milan Cortina 2026.

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Children play adjacent the Olympic rings arsenic snowfall falls, up of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics successful Livigno, Italy, January 8, 2026.  (REUTERS/Yara Nardi)

"On the different hand, FIS and the Nordic Combined assemblage besides person a work to travel backmost with a much compelling lawsuit successful presumption of universality, popularity and level of performance, some connected the men and the women categories, to let the IOC to marque decisions for the 2030 Games and beyond."

Nordic combined events person been men-only since 1924. Norway has taken location the astir golden with 15.

Malacinski besides spoke astir her displeasure astir the deficiency of practice astatine the Games successful a video posted to TikTok.

"Honestly, it’s heartbreaking, I could outcry astir it each day," she said successful her video. "It feels similar we’re being told that our dreams substance less. It besides fuels me, due to the fact that it shows however important it is that we support speaking up."

Olympic rings are displayed successful the snowfall astatine the Stelvio Ski Center, venue for the alpine skis and skis mountaineering disciplines astatine the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics successful Bormio, Italy, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)

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The athletes volition person to hold until the 2030 Olympics to spot whether a women’s Nordic combined lawsuit volition beryllium added to the schedule.

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