The Winter Youth Olympic Games will feature fewer athletes, a shorter schedule, and a revised event programme as the IOC pushes cost control and sustainability.
Lausanne | By Sayer Zaland
The International Olympic Committee has approved a reduced event programme and athlete quota for the Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 Winter Youth Olympic Games, cutting participation to around 1,600 athletes and shortening the competition period to eight days.
The decision, endorsed by the IOC Executive Board, represents a nearly 20 per cent reduction in athlete numbers compared to the Gangwon 2024 Games. The revised programme is designed to limit operational complexity, rely on existing venues from the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, and reduce rental and infrastructure costs.
The Games will retain the seven core Winter Olympic sports, while introducing eight new events aimed at youth engagement, including synchronised skating, mixed singles luge, moguls, and rail events in freestyle skiing and snowboarding. Fifteen events featured at Gangwon 2024 have been removed from the programme.
IOC officials said the revised structure balances innovation with sustainability, while maintaining full gender equality and alignment with athlete development pathways.
The Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 programme reflects a broader shift within the Olympic Movement toward smaller, more cost-efficient youth events. By prioritising existing infrastructure and flexible competition formats, the IOC is reshaping the Youth Olympic Games model to reduce host burdens while preserving elite-level competition.