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Women barred from competing in this one sport during Winter Olympics as athlete makes heartbreaking admission
Nordic combined, a winter sport that combines ski jumping and cross-country skiing, has been part of the Winter Olympic Games since its debut in 1924. However, despite its long history, women have not been allowed to compete in this event.
Although the first women's world championship for Nordic combined took place in 2021, the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina will still not feature a women's event. This has led to frustration and disappointment for athletes like Annika Malacinski, who have dedicated years to the sport.
Annika Malacinski, a US athlete, recently opened up about her emotional journey and the challenges she faces as a woman in a sport that remains closed off to her in the Olympics. After training for five years, Malacinski was devastated when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided not to add a women's Nordic combined event to the 2026 games.
Despite repeated proposals and petitions, Malacinski and other athletes find themselves excluded, despite the growing interest in the sport and the successful introduction of the women's world championship.
Why is there no women's event?
The IOC's decision to exclude women from the Nordic combined event in 2026 was based on concerns about the sport’s audience size and the lack of countries able to compete in the discipline, as reported by ESPN.
The committee argued that Nordic combined did not have a large enough following, even among men, and that the number of nations participating was insufficient. This decision has been criticized, particularly since the IOC had previously announced that the 2026 Winter Games would be the most gender-balanced in Olympic history.
The exclusion of women from Nordic combined is especially painful considering the progress other sports have made in gender equality. Athletes like Malacinski have trained intensely for years, only to face the barrier of not being allowed to compete on the same level as their male counterparts.
Annika Malacinski speaks out
In an emotional piece for SELF, Annika Malacinski shared the heartbreak she felt upon hearing that the IOC would not allow women to compete in Nordic combined at the 2026 Olympics.
She described how she cried for hours after the announcement and reflected on the sacrifices she has made to train for the sport. She emphasized that the issue has never been about whether women are capable of competing but about being given the opportunity to compete on equal terms.
Malacinski also addressed the broader issue of gender inequality in sports, pointing to the lack of funding, media attention, and event opportunities for women. These disparities, she argued, prevent the growth and visibility of women’s sports. Despite the challenges, she remains hopeful for the future, vowing to continue fighting for a place for women in Nordic combined at the Olympics. "I’m not done fighting for that," she concluded.
The IOC has acknowledged the challenges faced by the Nordic combined discipline and stated that the sport will undergo a full evaluation following the 2026 Winter Games. This evaluation will determine the inclusion of both men’s and women’s Nordic combined events in future Olympic Games. The decision will be based on data gathered from the 2026 Games and will likely influence the inclusion of women’s events in 2030.