Ski Mountaineering, a combination of uphill climbing and downhill skiing, is making its debut at the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
But Taylor McKee, Brock University Assistant Professor of Sport Management, says that, while the sport might be 'new' to this kind of world stage event, getting there was - shall we say - an uphill battle:
It also doesn't help that the growth of the Olympics into a global media enterprise has also presented new challenges and obstacles:
For many sports, though, making it into the Games can provide an abundance of benefits.
That said, it's a bureaucratic battle to get there, one almost all sports go through, with many even routinely moving in and out of the Games.
But McKee says from the Winter Olympics often reveals regional priorities rather than its skill or participation, a reminder that Olympic status shouldn't define a sport's legitimacy.