There will be no women’s Nordic combined at the Winter Olympics. This annoys athletes who are worried about the future of their sport. It is hanging in the balance as to whether Nordic combined will remain Olympic.
The Olympics are just around the corner – but for them Nordic combined has everything at stake. While ski fans are looking forward to winter, athletes like Nathalie Armbruster are worried about their sporting future. Because only men are still allowed to compete in this discipline at the Olympics. For the women, the Olympic dream is finally in danger of bursting.
Olympics without Combiners
“Excluding women in the 21st century is simply a no-go,” says Nathalie Armbruster angrily in an interview with BR24Sport, saying it is “simply unfair.” At the age of 19, the combined athlete won the overall World Cup last season while studying for her high school diploma. With his school leaving certificate under his belt, Armbruster can really get started this season, but not at the Winter Olympics in Cortina: “In February it will be very hard to sit in front of the television and watch.”
Reforms should save the Nordic Combined
Since 2020, women have also been allowed to compete in Nordic combined. Since then, the International Ski Federation (FIS) has reformed the format – shorter distances, narrower distances, mixed relay. “We have developed a lot in the last few years, the races have become much more exciting,” explains combiner Julian Schmid.
But despite this progress, the IOC decided in 2022: There will be no women’s competitions in Cortina 2026. The discipline was too young, it was said at the time. This doesn’t just frustrate combiners like Armbruster: “It makes my heart bleed. They’re working on the same things just like us,” said double Olympic champion Johannes Rydzek.
IOC calls for “significant development”
The IOC wants to see a “significant development” so that both men and women can compete in the Nordic combined event at the Olympics in 2030. The association is calling for gender equality by 2030. In order to achieve this, the IOC could also decide to cancel the entire sport instead of introducing competitions for women.
The decision will be made after the Olympics
“We have offered the IOC a lot, now it’s up to them what they do with it,” says Armbruster. The IOC wants to collect data at the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina and then make a decision about the future of Nordic combined.
“The scary thing is this uncertainty, that we just don’t know anything,” said the 19-year-old. Her teammate Schmid is worried that it’s not just the professionals who will suffer: “It’s about supporting young talent. If the combination breaks down, then ski jumping or cross-country skiing will also notice.”
Armbruster: “I’m very worried about our sport”
If the IOC’s verdict on the NoKo is negative, it could trigger a chain reaction, explains Armbruster: “We don’t know to what extent the FIS will still be able to organize World Cups, to what extent our authorities will support us, or what will happen next with the German Ski Association. I’m very worried about our sport.”
Since its premiere in 1924, Nordic combined has always been an Olympic event. Whether it stays that way will be decided next year. For Nathalie Armbruster and the entire German team, there is more at stake than just a medal – it is about the future of their sport.
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Source: BR24Sport November 7th, 2025 – 6:30 p.m
