"It could be the last Olympics for a sport that mixes the grace of ski jumping with the grind of cross-country skiing. Nordic combined events at the Milan Cortina Games ended Thursday. And the International Olympic Committee is considering scrapping it from future Games because of a small TV audience and podium positions dominated by a tiny group of nations."
"Nordic combined was invented some 150 years ago when a Norwegian crown prince seeking glory as a champion paired the two disciplines he excelled at. The contest opens with a daredevil ski jump to determine the starting order for a lung-busting cross-country ski race. Nordic combined is such a beautiful sport and I think it deserves much more popularity because I think the races are really, really fun to watch and the athletes are doing amazing, said Jan Vytrval, a Czech competitor."
"Female athletes who compete on the World Cup tour and in world championships have lobbied hard to change that. But their fate is tied to the larger sport. The IOC has previously put off a decision on the sport's future but will revisit the question after the Games wrap up Sunday. If it stays, it's for both, said Lasse Ottesen, the Nordic combined director of the International Ski Federation."
Nordic combined faces possible removal from future Olympic programs because of low television viewership and medal podiums dominated by a few nations. Norway won gold in all three events at the Milan Cortina Games, including the men's team sprint, while the same countries occupied the podium across the discipline. The sport pairs ski jumping with cross-country skiing, with jump results setting cross-country starting positions. Nordic combined originated about 150 years ago in Norway. The discipline lacks a women's Olympic event despite active World Cup and world championship female competitors lobbying for inclusion. The IOC will revisit the sport's Olympic status after the Games conclude.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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