Para-bobsleigh not selected for inclusion in 2026 Winter Paralympics
- Published
Britain's Corie Mapp won the European Para-bobsleigh title in 2019
Para-bobsleigh will not be contested at the 2026 Winter Paralympics.
Five sports - Para-alpine skiing, Para-ice hockey, Para-Nordic skiing, Para-snowboard and wheelchair curling - were confirmed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in December.
The IPC deferred its decision on Para-bobsleigh while it awaited "clarification in several areas".
It said the sport did not meet "the minimum criteria" for the number of nations regularly competing.
Under IPC rules, individual sports must be "widely and regularly practised at the performance level" in at least 12 countries.
Data from the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) showed Para-bobsleigh only met this criteria in 10 countries over the period from the 2016-17 season to 2019-20.
The 2026 Winter Paralympics and Olympics will take place in Milan and Cortina in Italy.
"I know this will be understandably disappointing news to the Para-bobsleigh community," said IPC president Andrew Parsons.
"However, the sport should be encouraged that if it can maintain the participation levels it had during the 2019-2020 season, when 16 nations took part in performance competitions, it will be in a strong position for inclusion in the 2030 edition of the Games."
In a statement, the IBSF said the decision was "extremely disappointing", adding it "will not give up fighting".
In 2018, it was ruled that Para-bobsleigh would also miss out on the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing after failing to provide assurances requested by the IPC, despite having been provisionally approved for inclusion.
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