Armbruster criticizes exclusion of women's Nordic combined from Games

World Cup champion Nathalie Armbruster has sharply criticized the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for not including the women's Nordic combined in the Olympics schedule in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo in February.

"It's clear that women still don't have equal rights in the 21st century. It's a huge mess. It remains a very difficult issue and it really, really hurts," she told broadcaster Eurosport in an interview.

Nordic combined is the only sport without a women's event at next year's Olympics and its future at the upcoming Games is also open.

The IOC justified its decision to not include the event by stating that the discipline was not professional enough among women and had low viewing figures.

Last season, Armbruster became the first German ever to win the overall Nordic combined World Cup, a day before team-mate Vinzenz Geiger claimed the men's trophy.

She also secured victory in the women's premiere of the Seefeld Triple and won silver with the mixed team at the world championships in Trondheim earlier this year.

"When I'm sitting at home in February watching the Games, knowing that I should actually be there, it's going to be really tough. But we have hopes for 2030," she said.

"We're fighting and fighting, we've improved so much in recent years. I hope the IOC is watching. We want to show that we deserve to be at the Olympics."