The Winter Olympics is going to have a new sport.
Ski mountaineering is set to be given its Olympic debut at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan-Cortina. It was proposed by the International Olympic Committee executive board as the eighth sport on the 2026 program, the Olympic body said Friday.
The sport involves skiing and hiking up and down mountain terrain. There will be sprint and individual races for men and women as well as a mixed gender relay.
The addition of the sport should not increase the number of athletes at the Olympics, as 48 athlete places in ski mountaineering can “be found within the overall framework” of the overall athlete quote of 2,900.
The proposal will be voted on by around 100 IOC members at their July 20-21 meeting ahead of the Tokyo Olympics opening. It’s unlikely that the proposal will face staunch opposition.