The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is exploring the possibility of holding future Winter Olympic Games in January and the Paralympic Games in February. As committee representatives stated at a meeting in Milan on Wednesday, February 4, such measures are due to a critical reduction in the number of locations with stable snow cover in March. This is reported by UNN.
Details
Traditionally, the Winter Games are held in February, but rising global temperatures are making this period increasingly risky for maintaining the quality of the tracks. IOC member Karl Stoss explained that holding the Paralympics in March is becoming problematic, as the spring sun melts the snow too quickly.
Perhaps the Paralympic Games will take place in February, and the Olympics in January. This is part of our discussion
IOC President Kirsty Coventry, who took over the organization in 2025, initiated the "Ready for the Future" review program.
She emphasized that changing the timing could be a necessary step to adapt to new environmental realities. A final decision on a possible revision of dates for the 2030 Games in the French Alps and the 2034 Games in Utah is planned to be made at the IOC session in June.
Challenges for the sports calendar
Moving the Olympics to January could create significant logistical and media difficulties. Firstly, it would disrupt the schedules of the Ski and Snowboard World Cups, which usually peak in mid-winter. Secondly, the Winter Games in January would directly compete for television audiences with the regular NFL and NBA seasons in the US.
Currently, the 2030 Olympics are planned for February 1-17, and the 2034 Olympics for February 10-26. However, IOC research shows that by 2040, only 10 countries worldwide will have enough natural snow to host competitions of this level, which forces organizers to act now.
Milan-Cortina 2026: conditions for athletes in the Olympic Village shown04.02.26, 11:15