Seems like after months of intense debate between Terje Haakonsen and representatives of the FIS, little has progressed with regards to the possibility of slopestyle snowboarding being included in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Once again delaying their decision, the IOC stated there needed to be more review done before an official resolution can be reached.

So while competitive slopestyle riders play ‘hurry up and wait’, IOC president Jacques Roggue was able to offer little more than bureaucratic rhetoric. Adding to the confusion, Roggue stated “There is still a team that is going to make some inspections in Sochi and for some it’s going to be a final decision, for some pending the results of the technical study”.

As snowboarders were left scratching their heads at the decision, it was not all bad news that was handed down from the IOC summit. ESPN has reported that halfpipe skiing received the nod of approval from the top brass, along with women's ski jumping, biathlon mixed relay, figure skating team event and luge team relay.

So now the question remains, will slopestyle snowboarding be included in the Sochi Games? At this point, it’s anyone’s guess.

Read Canada~Snowboard’s press release below.

IOC DELAYS DECISION ON SLOPESTYLE
More reviews needed to include Slopestyle to Olympic program

(Vancouver, BC – April 06, 2011) The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced today that it is delaying its decision to include slopestyle in the Olympic Program.

Although the IOC did not include slopestyle to the Olympic program in today’s announcement, it has not yet ruled out the possibility of having the discipline at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

IOC President Jacques Roggue explained the decision in a press conference: “There is still a team that is going to make some inspections in Sochi and for some it’s going to be a final decision, for some pending the results of the technical study.”

The discipline has been under review and consideration for the last ten months. The decision, originally scheduled for the fall of 2010, was postponed in order to allow the evaluation committee to analyze the results of slopestyle contest at the 2011 FIS Snowboard World Championships, held in La Molina, Spain.

The decision was announced in a press conference in London, Great Britain. Halfpipe ski, women’s ski jumping, biathlon mixed relay, figure skating team event and luge team relay were also added to the Olympic program.

Photo credit: Canada~Snowboard

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