OLYMPIC. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has made the final decision on the program of the Olympic Winter Games 2014 in Sochi (RUS). In Durban today, the IOC Executive Board confirmed the additional inclusion of Freestyle Skiing slopestyle (men and ladies) and Snowboard slopestyle (men and ladies), as well as Snowboard parallel special slalom as events on the Sochi 2014 program. Regrettably the Alpine nations' team parallel competition was not approved for inclusion for Sochi 2014.

Spring in the Park 2011, Photo © Alexander Schneider / Terrain Park Zugspitze (www.zugspitze.de)

The FIS disciplines have featured prominently in the expansion of the Olympic Winter Program, with the first additions announced in April 2011 when six new events were included for Sochi 2014: Freestyle Ski halfpipe (men and ladies) and ladies' Ski Jumping, as well as Biathlon mixed relay, Figure Skating team event and Luge team relay.

IOC President Jacques Rogge during the Executive Board press conference in Durban, South Africa. (c)IOC/Juilliart

At that time the IOC Executive Board decided that five other events - the Alpine nations team parallel competition, Freestyle Ski slopestyle and Snowboard slopestyle (men and ladies) - were still subject to a further feasibility study.

"FIS is delighted about the IOC's decision to include both Freestyle Ski and Snowboard slopestyle events to the Sochi 2014 program following the addition of the ladies' Ski Jumping and Freestyle Ski halfpipe. This is an important statement about the relevance of the Olympic Winter Games for the youth given the appeal of slopestyle to younger audiences," said FIS President Gian Franco Kasper. "It is nevertheless disappointing that the Alpine nations team event will have to wait for its debut, since it has proven to be a true highlight at our FIS World Championships and we are convinced it will be well received at the Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck."

With the addition of a total of 12 new events, the Sochi 2014 Games will celebrate 98 Olympic champions and award a total of 294 Olympic medals. Exactly 50% of those (49) will be in the six FIS disciplines. At Vancouver 2010, 86 events were on the Olympic program, 40 of those in the FIS disciplines.

Spring in the Park 2011, Photo © Alexander Schneider / Terrain Park Zugspitze (www.zugspitze.de)

Spring in the Park 2011, Photo © Alexander Schneider / Terrain Park Zugspitze (www.zugspitze.de)

The decision to include the new events on the program of the Olympic Winter Games was based on a report presented by the Olympic Program Commission to the IOC Executive Board in Acapulco in October 2010. The Commission studied the proposal of the individual International Sports Federations and compiled a detailed analysis of all candidate events at their respective world championships last winter. The key positive factors included whether the changes would increase universality, gender equity and youth appeal, and in general add value to the Games. Other considerations included the cost of infrastructure, logistics and operations and the impact on the overall quota and the number of events.

FIS news
Monday, 4 July 2011

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