Combiners shocked: “I wanted to give up everything”

Daniela Dejori is the figurehead in Nordic combined in Italy with Annika Sieff. After a season marked by injuries and illnesses, the 19-year-old wants to get back to her old strength next winter. However, preparations for this were slowed down by a major setback last week. The women's Nordic combined will not be included in the Olympics in 2026 either. The men's competitions have been part of the program since 1924. “When I heard the news, I wanted to give up everything,” says Dejori, who talks about the reasons, reactions and effects in the following interview.

How did you react to the decision? Did you think it might not be enough? “I had a 50/50 feeling. On the one hand, I thought that given the efforts of us athletes and the International Ski Federation FIS, it would definitely work. I saw no good reasons why the IOC should decide against it. On the other hand, I had already heard from an email a few months ago that things could be tight. That’s why I didn’t want to put too much energy into it, otherwise I would have been too frustrated.”

What tipped the balance against one? recording session ? “The IOC justified its decision by the fact that we have only played one World Cup and only ten nations were represented there. I have no understanding of this explanation. If you want to make a sport bigger, the Olympics are the biggest stage. There has to be a starting point somewhere. How can a sport develop if it is deprived of its greatest opportunity? I find it difficult to understand the reasoning. Because I understand that it shouldn't be child's play to start at the Olympics. But even though there are few of us, we train just as much as all other athletes.”

Daniela Dejori doesn't let herself get down. © Daniela Dejori

Is there a lot of trouble now? “I have the feeling that we fought for this in vain: petitions, calls from other sports stars, strong media presence - all for nothing. At first I thought to myself: 'Well, I'll stop now'. I no longer have anything to keep me motivated to train every day. No incentive to show what we athletes can do. Many people felt this way. After the initial shock, we decided together that we now really wanted to show it to you. That we can develop the sport - regardless of whether the women's Nordic combined is Olympic or not. The level will increase as will the participating nations.”

Did you miss the support from the big associations? “No, I wouldn’t say that. The FIS tried very hard in every respect, and the national associations such as the German Ski Association also supported us. The irony of the matter is that just days after the decision, the IOC boasted that in Milan and Cortina, 47 percent of the athletes will be women. If they had taken us in, then there would probably be complete equality (laughs). And it wouldn’t have cost the IOC anything, because the jumps and trails we use are also those of the men.”

Are you worried that this will hinder the development of the sport and also have an impact on the World Cup? "No, I do not think so. The women's Nordic Combined World Cup is secured at least for the next few years. We want to offer spectators a higher level, especially in ski jumping, and increase the general density. However, it cannot be ruled out that little girls will turn away from sport as a result of this decision.”

Last question: Is there a chance that Nordic combined will become an Olympic event in 2030? "I don't know that. As we hear, there is a greater likelihood that the NoKo will disappear from the Olympic program completely. That would of course be ridiculous. I don't know if I should have hope. Because there was already talk of this in 2022. I would like to speak to an IOC official to understand the reasons and to know if there is a small chance. If not, then I’m already thinking about how long I should continue to practice this sport.”

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Combiners shocked: “I wanted to give up everything”

Last Friday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that the women's Nordic combined would not be included in the program for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina. The reactions to this were sometimes violent - including among the athletes.

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