The UIAA – International Climbing & Mountaineering Federation – and World Ice Climbing acknowledge the IOC’s decision to adjust the timeline regarding the French Alps 2030 Olympic Winter Games discipline and additional sports programme. The verdicts related to additional sports will now be taken in June 2026, alongside confirmation of the events and athlete quotas.
The UIAA reaffirms its candidacy for the inclusion of ice climbing as an additional sport for 2030.
This revised timeline offers a favourable opportunity to further the dialogue already underway with the French Alps 2030 Organising Committee (OCOG), the host territories, all stakeholders involved in the bid, and of course the IOC.
This period will also coincide with the staging of the 2026 international ice climbing circuit, the UIAA Ice Climbing World Tour, offering a unique opportunity to showcase the richness, intensity and Olympic potential of the sport.
A candidature fully aligned with the priorities of the Olympic Movement
This is based on several key strengths:
- A natural connection with Alpine culture, in perfect resonance with the vision of the French Alps 2030 Olympic Winter Games;
- A sustainable and low-impact sport, able to rely on existing infrastructures, with a reduced logistical and environmental footprint;
- A universal, gender-balanced and global sport, practised by women and men from over 25 nations, structured across an international circuit on three continents and led by experts committed to clean and safe competitions;
- A strong commitment to youth and innovation, through a telegenic format that is spectacular, dynamic and easily understood by a wide audience and demographic.
Ice climbing offers the Olympic Winter Games a unique opportunity to reconnect with their mountain DNA, while meeting the expectations of new generations. A spectacular, demanding and committed sport, it appeals to a young, outdoor and connected audience. It draws strength from Alpine culture while looking to the future, embodying that essential link between heritage and Olympic innovation.
The UIAA and World Ice Climbing, in connection with its national federation members, institutional partners and the wider sports community, continues to pursue its commitment to a successful bid.
UIAA Ice Climbing Contacts
Rob Adie, UIAA Sports Events Manager
rob.adie@theuiaa.org
Peter Bourne, UIAA Communication Manager
news@theuiaa.org
Main photo credit: Action from a UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup event in the French Alps. UIAA/Julia Roger-Veyer
