The International Olympic Committee has provided further indications this Thursday in Lausanne regarding its change of direction. In the latest Executive Board meeting, led by Kirsty Coventry, they pointed toward a structural transformation of the Olympic Movement to make it more controllable, less extensive, and more sustainable. If on Wednesday we reported in SportsIn the intention to “cut” the Olympic program for Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, the following day that trend was reinforced with other events such as the Winter Olympic Games and the Youth Olympic Games.
Although the organization has not officially announced cuts to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic program, the words chosen during the sessions and the press conference leave little room for interpretation: “Optimization”, “program review”, “infrastructure validation”, “sustainability” and “financial discipline” shaped the narrative. As they said: “Fit for the Future”.
This language is not accidental. Within the Olympic ecosystem, it is interpreted as the prelude to adjustments in sports, disciplines, events, and athlete quotas. According to SportsIn, the Australian event could move from the 36 planned for Los Angeles 2028 to 32 disciplines in Brisbane. The IOC confirmed that the initial Brisbane 2032 program will not be finalized until 2026. In this way, these intentions will continue to be reviewed together with international federations and the organizing committee to determine which sports and formats fit into the model that is being redefined.
Clearer limits for the Winter Olympic Games
In parallel, Coventry outlined a relevant idea for the immediate future: the Winter Olympic Games will remain limited to sports practiced on snow or ice. With this statement, the IOC rules out, at least for now, the inclusion of hybrid disciplines or alternative proposals such as cyclo-cross or winter cross-country running for the 2030 Games in the French Alps.
These statements reinforce the same idea of a more contained program, with less room for experimentation than had characterized recent stages and what was believed could come in the future, especially in Winter Games that require review, as in the near future the number of places on Earth where these sports can be practiced will be limited (due to global warming).
Youth Olympic Games and esports, on hold
Another of the decisions with the greatest impact has been the suspension of the process for the Youth Olympic Games 2030. The IOC has opted to halt its development, which reinforces the perception that the size, cost, and sustainability of all its assets are being thoroughly reassessed. The measure does not necessarily imply a cancellation, but it does reflect a strategic pause in the expansion of the Olympic ecosystem. All of this with restraint and sustainability.
In this context, as already reported by SportsIn, the IOC’s esports project is also left in an uncertain position. Without any official announcement of cancellation, the organization avoided specifying any roadmap, host, or timeline. The IOC Esports Commission has halted its activity following the collapse of the model planned with Saudi Arabia, leaving the project in a state of uncertainty. At present, the most solid option in this field is the International Esports Federation -IESF-.
Overall, the signals coming from Lausanne outline a gradual shift compared to the era of Thomas Bach. The expansionist model that defined recent years is giving way to a more contained approach, perhaps more realistic about the level the Olympic dream can aspire to at this moment.
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