Skeleton was first included in the Winter Olympics in 1928, briefly appeared again in 1948, and was then added as a permanent Olympic sport starting with the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

Quick Scoop: Skeleton in the Olympics

  • 1928: Skeleton made its Olympic debut at the Winter Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland, on the famous Cresta Run natural ice track.
  • 1948: The sport returned once more, again only in St. Moritz, largely because of the same local track infrastructure.
  • Long absence: After 1948, skeleton disappeared from the Olympic program for decades due to its niche nature, safety concerns, and the lack of standardized tracks worldwide.
  • 2002: Skeleton was reinstated and made a permanent part of the Winter Olympics at Salt Lake City, with both men’s and women’s events added to the program.

In short: If you’re asking “when was skeleton added to the Olympics,” most modern references point to 2002 as the year it was permanently added to the Winter Olympic program, after its earlier one-off appearances in 1928 and 1948.

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