At the 2026 Winter Olympics, several sports are expected to make their absence felt. Among them is bandy, a sport that combines elements of field hockey and soccer. The game involves using a curved stick to move a ball around on an ice rink, with goalies able to defend only by hand. This unique combination has historically been part of the Winter Olympics lineup.
Another sport set to be omitted from the 2026 Games is ski ballet. This event, which emerged in the mid-20th century, involves skiers performing choreographed jumps and steps while being accompanied by music. With its artistic flair and competitive edge, it can still be sensed in modern freestyle events like slopestyle.
For those who have ever fantasized about strapping on skis and getting pulled across the snow by a galloping horse, equestrian skijoring might seem like an appealing activity. However, this sport only made one appearance at the Olympics during the 1928 Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland, and no one took home any medals.
Another event that fell by the wayside is sled dog racing. This sport, which involved a team of six dogs pulling a sled with an athlete on board, emerged as a demonstration event at the Winter Games in Lake Placid, New York, in 1932. With some teams reaching speeds of up to 30 kilometers per hour, it was certainly an exhilarating experience.
The military patrol also did not make the cut for the 2026 Olympics. This sport, which debuted at the 1924 Games in Chamonix, France, involved rifle shooting with cross-country skiing. Unlike biathlon, participants had to wear a military uniform as part of a four-person team called a patrol. Switzerland took home gold in 1924 but was only a demonstration event during the subsequent Winter Olympics until its eventual disappearance from the program.
These sports may no longer be part of the Winter Games lineup, but they all left an indelible mark on the history and evolution of winter sports.
Another sport set to be omitted from the 2026 Games is ski ballet. This event, which emerged in the mid-20th century, involves skiers performing choreographed jumps and steps while being accompanied by music. With its artistic flair and competitive edge, it can still be sensed in modern freestyle events like slopestyle.
For those who have ever fantasized about strapping on skis and getting pulled across the snow by a galloping horse, equestrian skijoring might seem like an appealing activity. However, this sport only made one appearance at the Olympics during the 1928 Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland, and no one took home any medals.
Another event that fell by the wayside is sled dog racing. This sport, which involved a team of six dogs pulling a sled with an athlete on board, emerged as a demonstration event at the Winter Games in Lake Placid, New York, in 1932. With some teams reaching speeds of up to 30 kilometers per hour, it was certainly an exhilarating experience.
The military patrol also did not make the cut for the 2026 Olympics. This sport, which debuted at the 1924 Games in Chamonix, France, involved rifle shooting with cross-country skiing. Unlike biathlon, participants had to wear a military uniform as part of a four-person team called a patrol. Switzerland took home gold in 1924 but was only a demonstration event during the subsequent Winter Olympics until its eventual disappearance from the program.
These sports may no longer be part of the Winter Games lineup, but they all left an indelible mark on the history and evolution of winter sports.
️. I mean, who doesn't love a good game of hockey and soccer combined? It's all about strategy and skill on ice, you know? And can we talk about how cool the goalies must be, just defending by hand like that? 
And equestrian skijoring sounds like an absolute rush. I can see why it didn't quite catch on, but still... 
I've never even tried ski ballet but it looks super artistic and fun would be awesome to see more events like slopestyle at the Olympics
. I mean, who doesn't love a good game of stickball on ice or watching skiers bust out some sick choreo moves on the slopes? But at the same time, I can see why they might be considered a bit niche for modern audiences. I do wish equestrian skijoring would make a comeback though - that sounds like an absolute blast! 
As for ski ballet, I get why they decided to drop it - it's an art form, but not everyone's cup of tea, you know? Equestrian skijoring is straight up weird tho... like, why would anyone want to be pulled behind a horse when you could just ski or ride normally? 
BUT, ON THE OTHER HAND, SKEJIROING SOUNDS CRAZY FUN 
. Sled dog racing was so intense - imagine being pulled by six dogs at 30 km/h 
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. Can't wait for 2026 and what new events we'll see! 
. Imagine being pulled across the snow by a horse while trying to stay balanced on skis...not sure that'd be safe for anyone involved.
. It does look like a lot of fun, but those dogs are huge and powerful 
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️. We can always find new ways to innovate and make things more exciting 
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like who doesn't love a good horse-pulled skier combo 
at least sled dog racing was kinda cool for its time, I guess 
can't say I'm heartbroken about bandy being cut though, it's not like anyone actually plays the sport anymore 
. Ski ballet might not be an Olympic sport anymore but I can see how those freestyle events still have some of its flair 
. Bandy's unique combination is cool but I guess the field hockey and soccer crowd was stronger 
. The military patrol event seems kinda intense with all that rifle shooting 
! Anyway, it'll be interesting to see what new sports are added in 2026 
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. I mean, it's basically just a fancy way to get pulled down a hill while some dogs do all the work. And what's with equestrian skijoring? Who thought it was a good idea to put horses on skis and pull people around like they're on a horse-drawn carriage ride? 
It's always bittersweet when old sports get cut from the lineup – it's like saying goodbye to a friend. But at the same time, it's cool that these sports are still being represented in other forms, like modern freestyle events.
And sled dog racing was like being part of a canine Uber service 
. The military patrol is like, "Hey, we're cool with rifle shooting... but not really" 
. These sports may be out, but they're still awesome in their own ways. I'm just glad the Olympics can get back to normal now... or do they? 
. Equestrian skijoring might be weird but it's adventurous 
, and military patrol combined rifle shooting with skiing... what a thrill! 
That's some next level stuff right there! As for sled dog racing and military patrol, they might not have been medal winners, but man, that was some serious athleticism going on 
. It's always sad to see sports get cut from the Olympics, but at least we can look back and appreciate the weirdness that made them unique 
. As for ski ballet, I remember watching it in old VHS tapes of the Olympics and it was so elegant and beautiful 
so i feel kinda sad that some cool sports r getting cut from the olympics 
like sled dog racing is such a unique & thrilling event! imagine being pulled by 6 dogs on skis at high speed 
but i guess the olympics gotta stick to what's gonna be popular & easy to organize 
... I love watching those dogs pull the sleds at high speeds. It's like they're flying across the ice! But again, safety concerns and all that, maybe it was just a phase 
. At least we can look back on these events and remember how exciting they must've been for those who competed in them 
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