Para Bobsleigh community processing IPC announcement. Photo: International Bobsleigh Skeleton Federation (IBSF)

LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The International Paralympic Committee announced Wednesday that para bobsled will not be included in the Programme for the 2030 Winter Paralympic Games in the French Alps.

This decision is particularly significant for Park City, the birthplace of para bobsled. The sport, developed at Utah Olympic Park and supported by the National Ability Center, has since spread globally.

“Our disappointment is hard to put into words,” said International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation President Ivo Ferriani. “There are hardly any sports where men and women compete together in the same event and are equally competitive, regardless of physical abilities. Few sports offer a finish time that is truly the final time, without the need for classification calculations. I believe we can meet all arguments for transparency and gender equality. It is all the more disappointing that these arguments were not sufficient.”
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Ferriani added that the federation will meet with the IPC next week to gain more details on the decision and discuss the next steps with its executive committee.

“We regret that our unique para athletes are once again faced with a cancellation. Our disappointment is immense,” he said.

The six sports included in the 2030 Paralympic Games are:

Para alpine skiing
Para biathlon
Para cross-country skiing
Para ice hockey
Para snowboard
Wheelchair curling

Despite this setback, Utah’s para athletes and venue volunteers remain hopeful that para bobsled could make its Paralympic debut in 2034, potentially in Park City, where the sport first began.