Gender “Equality” in the Nordic Games

In 1924 in the resort Chamonix, France, where the Winter Olympics were born, the event was initially known as "Winter Sports Week of the VIII Olympiad” because the Nordic Games had already existed. Around 258 athletes from 16 countries competed in 16 events, including bobsleigh, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, ice hockey, military patrol, ski jumping, speed skating, and Nordic combined. This marked the birth of what is now known as the Winter Olympics. Fast forward 102 years: in 2026 Milan, Cortina will host around 2,800 athletes competing in more than 100 events. 

The IOC (International Olympic Committee), called the 2026 Olympics a “landmark for gender equality”, with approximately 47% of the athletes in these Olympic Games being women, an increase of 1.6% since Beijing 2022. However, there will not be a single woman competing for a medal in one of the most traditional and respected disciplines, Nordic combined. This can be understood through the distinction between equality of opportunity and equality of outcome. Equality of opportunity means that men and women are given the same formal access to compete. Equality of outcome refers to the actual results and representation that follow. In this case, although the IOC suggests that the playing field is now equal, equal access does not erase the historical disadvantages women have faced. Women and men may start the same race today, but they do not come from the same background or history of support. Decades of exclusion continue to shape present outcomes. In this article, we examine how, despite the IOC’s claims of gender equality, women remain restricted from certain competitions. While 47% of athletes are women—an example of representation that suggests equality of outcome—their limited participation in specific events shows that true equality has not yet been achieved.

Unlike in the Summer Olympics, women were allowed to participate in the Winter Olympics from the start. At first, it was only figure skating, but as the world changed the rules changed too, and there have definitely been improvements in regards to the inclusivity of women; however, they are still not allowed to compete in one of the “original” events — Nordic Combined.

Nordic Combined is a modality where athletes compete across both ski jumping and cross-country skiing. It's one of the most difficult winter sports because it requires precision only the most dedicated athletes are able to achieve. And still, at the most equal Winter Olympic Games ever, one tradition continues, no Nordic combined for women. And it's not because there are no female athletes in this sport, there are many, competing all over the world in various competitions, including the World Cup, World Juniors Championships, and both individual and team competitions. The reason is that the Olympic Committee still needs to work on their inclusivity. Winning a medal in the Olympic Games is every athlete's ultimate goal, it is the golden opportunity to compete with the best of the best, representing your country in the world's biggest stage, and yet, women are denied this opportunity.

This whole situation came to light because of two American siblings, both athletes competing in winter sports. One sibling, Niklas Malacinisk, is ranked 39th in the world, while his sister Annika Malaciniski is the second highest ranked American in the list. While Nicklas struggled to qualify as his last season wasn’t that great, Anikka would have qualified with ease, but the olympic dream is not within reach for her. Both of them are in team USA, both of them compete at the national and international level, both of them have recognition within the sport and yet, only one will compete in these Olympic Games. 

In fact, this discipline has been declining in recent years, with fewer men participating, which the IOC has used as an excuse to potentially exclude the discipline from future Winter Games. The athletes tried to appeal before the Olympics, but the IOC denied the appeal, saying they will reconsider after Milan. However, allowing women to compete would completely solve this problem as it would bring more people and competition to this modality, but despite the effort from athlete's, the dream has not yet been achieved.

There is no denying that the Milan 2026 Winter Olympics are a significant step towards gender equality in sports, but the fact that women are still unable to compete in one discipline shows that there is room for improvement. Nordic combined is one of the most prestigious and traditional disciplines in winter sports, which has been around for 102 years and it still excludes women. Although the Milan 2026 Olympics is a step in the right direction, we can't say we reached true gender equality until we part ways with this misogynistic standard. 

This is one of the original Olympic sports. It has existed for 102 years, and women are still excluded from it. So how can the 2026 Winter Olympics be called the most gender-balanced Games in history if there is still an event that does not allow women to compete? Gender equality cannot be partial. It cannot be measured only by percentages or headlines. As long as even one sport remains closed to women, the claim of full equality feels incomplete. Representation matters, but real equality means access without exceptions.

About the Author

Maria Orlandini is a freshman at the American University of Rome who is double majoring in Communications and English Literature. Her passion for athletics, specifically women in sports, is what drives her goal to pursue a career in sports journalism.

References

Team GB. (2026, February 17). Explained: Nordic combined: Olympics. Team GB. https://www.teamgb.com/article/explained-nordic-combined/37WopmgovpMI3ypxpzmZr0

International Olympic Committee. (2026, January 15). Chamonix 1924: Milestones in the 100-year evolution of the Olympic Winter Games. Olympics.com. https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/news/chamonix-1924-milestones-100-year-evolution-olympic-winter-games

International Olympic Committee. (s. f.). Gender equality through time. Olympics.com. https://www.olympics.com/ioc/gender-equality/gender-equality-through-time 

ONeil, D. (2026, February 10). One of the Winter Olympics’ oldest sports is facing steady decline. Its savior could be finally allowing women to compete. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/10/sport/nordic-combined-malacinski-siblings-winter-olympics 

Tauber, R. (2026, February 9). The IOC calls the 2026 Olympics ‘a landmark’ for gender equality. But one sport is left out. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7031182/2026/02/09/nordic-combined-2026-olympics-ioc-gender-equality/