The International Olympic Committee has dropped Nordic combined from the 2030 French Alps Winter Olympics, ending the sport’s uninterrupted presence at the Games since 1924.
The decision forms part of a broader strategy by organisers to refresh the Olympic programme and attract a younger global audience.
Removal delivers a devastating blow to the historic dual-event discipline, which integrates ski jumping with cross-country skiing.
Officials previously denied the inclusion of a women’s event for the upcoming 2026 Milano Cortina Games due to participation concerns.
Stark statistics seal Olympic fate
The governing body justified the controversial exclusion by pointing to consistently poor audience engagement metrics over the past decade.
“Across most of the popularity indicators, Nordic combined ranked lowest among all Olympic Winter Games disciplines at Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018, Beijing 2022 and Milano Cortina 2026,” an IOC statement revealed.
The traditional winter pursuit also ranked bottom in 11 out of 14 key popularity indicators during the most recent Games in China.
Persistent challenges regarding global universality and a lack of competitive depth ultimately forced the committee’s hand.
Disappointment across the winter sports community
News of the axing immediately triggered widespread dismay among athletes and officials within the winter sports fraternity.
“Our first reaction is, inevitably, one of disappointment,” stated FIS President Alexander Ospelt.
“This is an incredibly difficult day for our sport, but we firmly believe it still belongs on the Olympic stage,” added Finnish Milano Cortina medallist Ilkka Herola.
Anxiety surrounding the event’s long-term future had heavily overshadowed recent World Cup cycles.
Norwegian dominance fails to save historic event
While Norway has historically dominated the podiums by sweeping recent gold medals, a lack of success from populous nations like Germany and Japan damaged international broadcasting appeal.
Executive board members first raised official concerns in 2022 after noting alarmingly low television viewership across a three-Games cycle.
This critical lack of national diversity among medal winners meant the rich cultural heritage of the original 1924 pursuit could no longer protect its status.
“We know and can fully understand that this may come as a disappointment, but the possibility could always remain open for 2034,” said IOC President Kirsty Coventry.
The International Olympic Committee has provisionally lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee on Tuesday and advised sports bodies to end neutral status vetting ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
This major policy shift eases entry requirements for athletes from the country aiming to qualify for the upcoming summer showcase.
The national Olympic body had been suspended since October 2023 after incorporating regional sports councils from occupied territories in Ukraine.
Terms of suspension no longer applicable
Officials in Lausanne determined that the specific conditions leading to the initial ban no longer apply.
Consequently, the three-year vetting programme designed to ensure competitors participated as strict neutrals will be discontinued for qualifying events.
However, approval has not yet been granted for these athletes to compete alongside their national flag and anthem.
Decisions on national symbols remain pending
“That decision will come at an appropriate time,” the Olympic governing body stated.
Attention will now turn to the imminent qualification pathways for various international sporting federations.
The next major competition on the global calendar is the 2026 Youth Summer Games, which open in Dakar, Senegal, on 31 October.
Former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran has died at the age of 38 in a New Delhi hospital after receiving treatment for a rare immune system disorder.
The trailblazing pace bowler passed away on Tuesday, just one day before his 39th birthday.
He had reportedly been undergoing severe medical treatment for the condition in the Indian capital.
Foundation of a cricketing nation
The Afghanistan Cricket Board confirmed his death on social media, expressing profound grief over the sudden loss.
“He was one of the foundation-laying figures of Afghanistan cricket, whose dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment played a vital role in the rise and development of the game in our country.”
The left-arm quick made his one-day international debut in 2009 and quickly became a cornerstone of the national side during their critical formative years.
Across a distinguished career, the 38-year-old represented his nation in 80 international matches, comprising 44 ODIs and 36 Twenty20 fixtures.
Historic World Cup heroics
His most iconic career moment arrived during the 2015 tournament co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
The towering seamer famously hit the winning boundary against Scotland to secure his country’s first ever victory at a World Cup.
Since that breakthrough milestone, the national men’s team has evolved into a formidable and highly competitive force on the global stage.
Their recent progression includes a stunning 69-run victory over England at the 2023 World Cup and reaching the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Those modern achievements were built directly upon the pioneering efforts and passion of early stars like the late pace bowler.
The heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua could take place at Wembley Stadium if London authorities agree to a later start time.
Saudi Arabian boxing chief Turki Alalshikh is organising the all-British showdown and aims to secure a broadcast schedule that caters to an international audience.
Alalshikh intends to hold formal talks with London Mayor Sadiq Khan to obtain special permission for a delayed curfew in the capital.
Global audience dictates schedule
Staging major sporting events at the national stadium typically requires strict adherence to local noise and public transport regulations.
However, promoters are pushing for an exception to ensure the monumental fight reaches peak viewership across multiple time zones.
A delayed bell time would logically align the headline bout with lucrative prime-time broadcasting slots in the United States.
A long-awaited domestic showdown
Boxing fans have clamoured for a definitive meeting between the two renowned British heavyweights for several years.
The prospect of seeing the former Olympic gold medallist face off against the self-styled Gypsy King on home soil remains the ultimate draw for the sport.
If an agreement cannot be reached with city officials, organisers may be forced to explore alternative international venues for the historic contest.
Former undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk is reportedly lining up a final retirement fight against Deontay Wilder after recently relinquishing his world titles.
The Ukrainian star vacated his three remaining world championship belts late last month to pursue one final lucrative appearance before leaving the sport.
Discussions are understood to be advancing with Zuffa Boxing, a newly formed promotional outfit backed by UFC president Dana White and influential Saudi boxing figure Turki Alalshikh.
The final piece of the era
A matchup with the 40-year-old American would represent the last major un-fought champion from the southpaw’s dominant era.
The decorated former Olympian has already secured high-profile victories over leading heavyweights Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois in recent years.
He views the Alabama-born knockout artist as the only remaining elite opponent left to conquer from the division’s celebrated 2015 generation.
Wilder seeks career redemption
While the former undisputed king is preparing to exit at his absolute peak, his prospective opponent arrives following a turbulent period in the ring.
The American held the WBC heavyweight title for five years before suffering back-to-back defeats to Fury and subsequently losing momentum in the business.
Following a devastating stoppage loss to Zhilei Zhang earlier this year, the veteran did recently bounce back with a much-needed victory over Derek Chisora.
Despite returning to winning ways, the former world champion has still suffered defeat in four of his last seven professional outings.
Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh has broken the longest-standing individual women’s swimming world record by clocking two minutes 1.65 seconds in the 200m butterfly at her national trials in Montreal.
The 19-year-old surpassed the previous mark of 2:01.81, which was established by China’s Liu Zige during the controversial super-suit era of 2009.
Upon realising her achievement, the triple Paris 2024 Olympic champion slammed her fists into the water in celebration as the home crowd erupted.
The Toronto-born swimmer had been hunting this specific milestone for some time after coming agonisingly close recently.
Closing in on history
During last year’s World Championships, she missed out on the world record by just 0.18 seconds after posting a time of 2:01.99.
Sunday’s historic race offered a first glimpse of the freestyle and medley specialist for many domestic fans since her high-profile relocation.
She recently moved to train in Austin, Texas, under the guidance of Bob Bowman, who famously coached Michael Phelps to 23 Olympic gold medals.
A packed upcoming schedule
The record-breaking performance sets the stage for a demanding week of competition for the young phenom.
She is scheduled to contest the 400m individual medley on Monday, followed by the 400m freestyle and 200m individual medley.
These events serve as crucial preparation ahead of the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California.
Ireland’s Padraig Harrington has captured his third US Senior Open title with a dominant four-stroke victory at Scioto Country Club in Ohio.
The 54-year-old finished the tournament on 12 under par, overturning a one-shot deficit heading into the final round.
He now joins American Miller Barber as the only player to win the prestigious senior major on three separate occasions.
The Dubliner’s latest triumph adds to his previous successes in the event during the 2022 and 2025 campaigns.
Cink fades during final round
Overnight leader Stewart Cink struggled to maintain his momentum during the closing 18 holes.
Conversely, the Irish former Ryder Cup captain surged ahead by shooting a superb four-under-par final round to comfortably surpass the home favourite.
England’s Ian Poulter claimed fourth place, finishing seven shots adrift of the champion.
Welshman Jamie Donaldson secured a tie for fifth, while Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke ended the week tied for eighth on three under par.
A stress-free victory lap
This result secures a fourth senior major overall for the veteran, following his Senior Open Championship win last year.
It further cements a legendary career that includes back-to-back Open Championship wins in 2007 and 2008, alongside a US PGA Championship title.
When I came out here four years ago I was surprised how big a tournament it was, it’s like playing an old major.
It’s very rare for me to win a tournament where it is actually boring coming down the stretch.
Normally there is some drama but there wasn’t much excitement today, which is nice for me.
A forest fire ravaging southwest France is threatening the cancellation of Monday’s Tour de France third stage, which is scheduled to finish 60 kilometres from the blaze in Les Angles.
Local authorities are expected to make a final decision on whether the racing will proceed before the end of Sunday.
Race director Christian Prudhomme has suggested that the route could be adapted if the extreme situation demands it.
Emergency services battle advancing blaze
Approximately 750 firefighters and nine water-bombing aircraft have been deployed to contain the rapidly spreading front line in the Pyrenees-Orientales department.
Two individuals, including one emergency responder and a local resident, remain in a critical condition following the devastating outbreak.
Crews are desperately hoping to prevent the inferno from spreading south towards the Tet river and the largely inaccessible Aspres mountainous region.
Extreme heat disrupts opening weekend
Unforgiving temperatures and severe weather events have already cast a long shadow over the opening weekend of cycling’s most prestigious Grand Tour.
Seven departments across the south of the host nation were classified as carrying a very high fire risk by meteorological agencies over the weekend.
Meanwhile, a separate wildfire that scorched 2,200 hectares of forest in the Catalonia region of Spain, where the opening two stages were held, has now been stabilised.
Spanish authorities arrested a suspect on Friday after sparks from a circular saw reportedly ignited that destructive coastal blaze.