In the 100-plus years since the first Winter Olympics took place in 1924 in Chamonix, France, many events have come and gone. Curling and short track have held on. Slightly quirkier events like ski ballet have fallen by the wayside. Below are several of the events you will definitely not be seeing at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The Lost Sports Not Being Held at the 2026 Winter Olympics
Bandy
A mix of field hockey and soccer, bandy—also known as “banty” or Russian hockey—was a demonstration sport at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo. Unlike a hockey stick, the bandy stick is curved; instead of a puck, the game is played with a ball. Also, goalies can only defend the goal with their hands. Each team has 11 players and compete in two 45-minute halves. The Oslo Games were the only time bandy was part of the official Winter Olympics lineup.
Ski Ballet
Not very different from figure skating, this event was essentially dancing on skis. Integrated into the Olympic program during the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, Canada and in Albertville, France in 1992, ski ballet was a form a freestyle skiing that evolved out of the counterculture movement of the mid 20th century. It was meant as a response to the other more rigid forms of competitive skiing. Each event involved skiers doing choreographed jumps and steps to a music soundtrack. Each performance was evaluated by a panel of judges who were looking for artistry and technical achievement. Ski ballet was never a medaled event, but its flair can still be sensed in modern freestyle events like slopestyle.
Equestrian Skijoring
Have you ever wanted to strap on skis and get pulled across the snow by a galloping horse? Equestrian skijoring might be right for you. The sport only made one appearance at the Olympics, during the 1928 Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland. No one won any medals; it was just a demonstration event.
Sled Dog Racing
Sled dog racing at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York in 1932.Bettmann/Getty Images
Back in 1932, sled dog racing emerged as a demonstration event at the Winter Games in Lake Placid, New York. The sport involved a group of six dogs pulling a sled and an athlete. The course was 40 kilometers long and many teams were able to able to pull their sled at speeds of up to 30 kilometers per hour. If a dog was injured, the athlete would carry it on the sled to the end of the course.
Military Patrol
A precursor to biathlon, military patrol debuted at the 1924 Winter Games in Chamonix, France. It involved rifle shooting with cross-country skiing, but unlike biathlon, required everyone on the four-person team—called a patrol—to wear a military uniform. Switzerland won gold at the 1924 Games; they would be the only ones. During the 1928, 1936, and 1948 Winter Olympics military patrol was just a demonstration event.
This story originally appeared in WIRED Italia. It has been translated from Italian.
