Winter Olympic Federations Oppose Summer Sports Inclusion

The Winter Olympic Federations (WOF) have voiced their opposition to including summer sports in the Winter Olympics, fearing it could dilute the event's identity. While the IOC explores options for enhancing the Games' appeal amid climate change, the WOF stresses the importance of maintaining the Winter Games' unique character.

The Winter Olympic Federations firmly rejected proposals to integrate summer sports into the Winter Games, emphasizing that such measures could undermine the event's distinctive identity. This opposition comes as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) contemplates strategies to invigorate the Games.

The IOC introduced the 'Fit for the Future' initiative to assess and refine Olympic sports programmes. This initiative involves exploring potential crossovers between summer and winter sports disciplines, a move the WOF views as detrimental to the integrity of the Winter Games.

In light of climate change and its impact on potential host venues, the IOC is also exploring rotating the Games among select locations. However, the WOF insists that innovation should prioritize evolving existing winter sports to widen participation without resorting to including summer disciplines.

(With inputs from agencies.)