The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has included women’s doubles in luge in the program of the 2026 Winter Games. The female duos will thus contribute to the gender equality sought by the IOC at the competitions in Cortina d’Ampezzo (February 6 to 22, 2026). In four years’ time in Milan and Cortina, this should reach the previous maximum for the Winter Games of 47 percent.
Within the sport of tobogganing, gender equality has already been achieved. So far, the doubles races have only been run by men, in the other disciplines (singles and mixed relay) women and men compete. At the Winter Games in Beijing, Germany had won all four competitions.
“This important decision by the IOC offers our women an additional chance for a medal and thus takes into account gender equality in luge,” said President Einars Fogelis of the World Federation FIL.
A total of eight new events have been added to the 2026 Games programme. In addition to the women’s doubles in tobogganing, ski mountaineering is new with three disciplines. In skeleton, a mixed team competition is introduced, as well as freestyle skiing dual mogul for men and women, and in ski jumping, an individual competition for women on the large hill.
The team competition in alpine skiing, in which Germany won silver at the past games in Beijing, will be cancelled. The alpine combination competitions are only provisionally included in the program. A final decision on the combination is expected by April 2023 at the latest.