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Young athletes
Although the Olympics do not set limits on the age of its competitors, sports governing bodies often do.
Is There an Age Limit for the Olympics?
The Olympics have no official overarching age limit for competitors. However, the international sports federations that govern each sport often do set specific age minimums for competition. The age limits for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games can be found below.
| sport | minimum age |
|---|---|
| *Competitors may be 14 years old if they will turn 15 before March 31st of the current season. | |
| **One competitor on each team must be at least 18 years old. | |
| ***Competitors born between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2010, must sign an underage waiver. | |
| Alpine skiing | 16 |
| biathlon | 21 |
| bobsledding | 15* |
| cross-country skiing | 15 |
| curling | none** |
| figure skating | 17 |
| freestyle skiing | 16 |
| ice hockey | 15*** |
| luge | 15 |
| Nordic combined | 15 |
| short-track speed skating | 17 |
| skeleton sledding | 13 |
| ski jumping | 15 |
| ski mountaineering | 18 |
| snowboarding | 15 |
| speed skating | 17 |
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