French Alps 2030 Paralympic Games sport programme confirmed
All six sports return from Beijing 2022, Para Bobsleigh's inclusion denied.
The sport programme for the French Alps 2030 Winter Paralympics was confirmed on Wednesday, five-and-a-half years before the Games are due to take place.
Six sports — Para alpine skiing, Para biathlon, Para cross-country skiing, Para ice hockey, Para snowboard, and wheelchair curling — were approved by the International Paralympic Committee Governing Board, following a review of applications from several sport federations.
These six sports also made up the Beijing 2022 and Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic programmes, with Para snowboard added alongside the other five sports for the 2018 Games. The same six sports will be contested in 2026, when the Games head to Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
“We are extremely excited to confirm the six sports that will form the sport programme for the French Alps 2030 Paralympic Winter Games,” said Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee. “As shown with previous editions of the Paralympic Winter Games, all six sports bring high-level competition representing the pinnacle of Para sport and strength in depth with regards to athlete talent which bodes really well for the future of the Paralympic Winter Games.
“We look forward to working with all of the International Federations as we build towards what will be fantastic Games in 2030.”
The French Alps 2030 Paralympics are expected to take place from February 28 to March 9, 2030, and hosting rights were awarded to France while the nation hosted the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Paris this summer. The 2034 Olympics and Paralympics will be hosted by Salt Lake City, who hosted them back in 2002.
The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation also applied for Para Bobsleigh, a mixed-gender monobob event, to be included in 2030, but the application was unsuccessful.
“Our disappointment is hard to put into words," IBSF President Ivo Ferriani said in a press release. "There are hardly any sports where men and women compete together in the same event and are equally competitive, regardless of their physical abilities. Few sports offer the possibility that the finish time is truly the final time, without the need for classification calculations.
“I believe we can meet all arguments for transparency and gender equality. It is all the more disappointing that these arguments were not sufficient. We will have a conversation with the IPC next week to gain more details on the reason for the cancellation. Based on this information, we will then discuss the next steps within the Executive Committee. Personally, I regret that our unique para athletes are once again faced with a cancellation. Our disappointment is immense.”
Canada won 25 medals at the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics — eight gold, six silver, and eleven bronze. Canada won at least one medal in every sport, with eight of those 25 medals, including five golds, coming in Para cross-country skiing.
Before Canadian athletes worry about French Alps 2030 though, their focus is on Milano-Cortina 2026, which is just over 17 months away — set to take place from March 6-15, 2026.
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