Nordic Combined dropped from 2030 Winter Olympics

Nordic Combined dropped from 2030 Winter OlympicsImage source, Getty ImagesByKeifer MacDonaldBBC Sport journalistPublished8 minutes agoThe 2030 Winter Olympics will be the first not to feature Nordic Combined after the sport was removed from the programme.Announcing the decision on Tuesday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) cited both a limited number of competitors and a lack of public interest as reasons for removing the male-only event, which has featured at every Games since the inaugural edition in 1924.IOC President Kirsty Coventry said although the decision "may come as a disappointment", the sport could return in 2034.Meanwhile, both Freeride, which combines skiing and snowboarding disciplines, and Synchro9, better known as figure skating, have been added to the schedule for the first time.The 2030 Winter Olympic Games, set to be held in the French Alps, will also be the first edition of the Games to be made up of 50% female athletes.There will be 3,046 athletes in total, comprising 1,525 female and 1,521 male competitors across 126 events.The increase in female participation will come as a result of four sports - Luge, Skiing, Bobsleigh and Ice Hockey - increasing their athlete quotas by up to seven per cent.Related topicsOlympic Games