The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has ruled out the inclusion of year-round sports without snow or ice at the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps, ending speculation over the possible introduction of so-called “crossover” events.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry announced on Thursday that the competition programme for the 2030 Games would remain limited strictly to traditional winter disciplines.
“We have already decided that no summer sport and no all-season sport will be included. It will only be snow and ice,” Coventry told reporters ahead of the official vote on the Games programme scheduled for June.
The decision follows discussions around the possible inclusion of sports such as trail running, cross-country running, cyclocross, and gravel cycling, which had been proposed as lower-cost outdoor additions to the Winter Games.
Despite ruling out the idea for 2030, Coventry indicated that the IOC may still consider similar reforms for future editions of the Games, including the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
She noted that the Olympic body is exploring ways to introduce innovative sports and disciplines while balancing concerns about the continued expansion of the Games.
“We should figure out how we want potentially new sports, innovative sports and disciplines to come onto the programme,” she said, adding that the IOC is mindful that “we can’t continue to just get bigger, bigger, bigger.”
The concept of adding non-snow outdoor events was first publicly floated in December by Edgar Grospiron, who argued that the French Alps offered diverse terrain that could support a broader sporting showcase.
According to Grospiron, areas below the traditional high-altitude ski zones could provide ideal settings for endurance and outdoor events that require minimal infrastructure.
“Between zero and 1,000 metres, there’s an incredible playground,” he said at the time, suggesting that disciplines such as trail running and gravel cycling could help showcase another side of the region.
The 2030 Winter Olympics are scheduled to be hosted in the French Alps, with organisers aiming to deliver a more sustainable and cost-conscious edition of the Games.
