PARIS, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- The qualification systems for all sports of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina have been finalised, after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved the qualification systems for Alpine skiing, bobsleigh and skeleton at the Executive Board (EB) meeting here on Friday.

The competition schedule by session for each sport has also been validated by the IOC.

In line with the Olympic Charter, the details of these qualification pathways have been developed respectively by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) and the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF).

The Alpine skiing Olympic FIS points calculation has been revised in line with the FIS qualification events, and the eligibility criteria have been strengthened to ensure that the best athletes qualify for the Games. No major changes have been made to the other disciplines compared to the Beijing 2022 qualification systems.

Milan-Cortina 2026 will take place from February 6 to 22, 2026. A total of 2,900 athletes are expected to compete across eight sports, 16 disciplines and 116 medal events.

A set of principles has been used to determine the most suitable competition schedule for these Games, namely athlete experience, gender equality, weather considerations, broadcaster requests and access for the largest possible audience.

The IOC EB also heard updates about the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Gangwon and the next Summer YOG edition in Dakar in 2026, with 50 days to go before the opening ceremony of Gangwon 2024.

In addition, the IOC approved the event program principles for the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028, with a focus on creating a compelling sports program while reducing cost and complexity. ■

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