Olympic star Ledecka says athletes ignored in debate over future of snowboard event

Czech snowboard star Ester Ledecka took aim at Olympic chiefs on Sunday amid fears that parallel giant slalom could be axed, saying athletes’ voices were considered secondary to “politics and money”.

Snowboarding made its debut at the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano and parallel giant slalom, or PGS, was introduced four years later at Salt Lake City.

But there is growing uncertainty over whether the discipline will feature at the 2030 Games in the French Alps.

PGS and nordic combined are understood to be at risk of being chopped, with a decision yet to be made on the final sports programme.

Ledecka, who failed in her bid for a third straight PGS gold in Livigno on Sunday, is lobbying hard, with other athletes, to keep the discipline on the programme.

The Czech, who also won super-G ski gold at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, said after her defeat in the quarter-finals of the women’s PGS that athletes were being ignored.

“They don’t listen because it is not about the athletes at all,” she said. “The Olympics is not about athletes. It’s about the show, it’s about the races, it’s about money, it’s about politics.

“And if you see around, I think we proved again that we belong here because the people came to see us. And it’s a lot of people and they had so much fun. And I could feel it because I heard them at the start. And it was an amazing atmosphere.

“And there are many, many young athletes who are waiting for their chance. And I just wish they will not kill it for them.”

Ledecka added: “Maybe we could put another discipline -– parallel (slalom) — because we have this at the World Cups and it will not hurt us at all.

“But I don’t know if they’re going to think the same way, and I have absolutely no chance to change their mind. So I will just do snowboarding, whatever happens.”

Men’s gold medallist Benjamin Karl also made an impassioned defence of PGS, saying he was confident it would remain on the Olympics programme.

“I think 90 percent it will stay,” said the Austrian, who defended the title he won at the 2022 Beijing Games.

“And we showed up today, the best we can do. There were so many people, best slope, closest heats. We can’t do better.

“And we cost nothing. We need a slope, a start, a finish and gates. Finito.”