STOCKHOLM, Jan ‌27 (Reuters) - The world's best female Nordic combined athletes will stage a ‌protest about their exclusion from the Winter Olympics at their ‌final competition ahead of the 2026 Games in Milano Cortina, American competitor Annika Malacinski told Reuters.

The sport, which combines ski jumping and cross-country skiing, will be one of ‍few without female representation at the Games, and ‍the 24-year-old and her ‌rivals are planning to hold their ski poles in an X shape ‍ahead of ​Friday's mass start in Seefeld, Austria to symbolise "no exception".