Arif Khan Secures Quota for India in 2026 Winter Olympics Slalom Event
Arif Khan's Achievement in Alpine Skiing
Alpine skier Arif Khan has successfully earned a quota spot for India in the slalom skiing category for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics, scheduled to take place in Milano Cortina, Italy, from February 6 to 22.
Following this achievement, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) must confirm his participation to the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) within a day, as reported by Olympics.com.
Understanding Qualification Criteria and Quotas
The Winter Olympics will feature a maximum of 306 athletes competing in alpine skiing, with each nation permitted to send up to 22 competitors—11 men and 11 women.
Slalom is one of five alpine skiing disciplines, alongside downhill, super G, giant slalom, and combined events.
To qualify for the Winter Olympics, athletes' average scores from their five best results between July 1, 2024, and January 18, 2026, were evaluated. This timeframe allowed athletes to accumulate FIS points, which were crucial for determining quota allocations.
In slalom, a maximum of 120 FIS points could be achieved, calculated from the average of the best five scores during the qualification window.
Arif Khan accumulated sufficient points, achieving nine results under 120 FIS points in 2024 and 2025, with seven results recorded at Ski Dubai, Mall of the Emirates, and two in Romania at Arieseni.
Arif Khan's Olympic Journey
Arif Khan was India's only representative at the 2022 Winter Olympics held in Beijing. If he competes in 2026, it will mark his second appearance at the Winter Games.
He is a national champion in alpine skiing and also qualified for the giant slalom event in Beijing, making history as the first Indian to secure two direct quotas in different Winter Olympic events during a single edition.
In the giant slalom, Arif finished 45th, which stands as the best performance by an Indian in Winter Olympics history, although he did not complete the men's slalom event in Beijing 2022.
The men's races are set to take place at the Stelvio Ski Centre, with alpine skiing events scheduled from February 7 to 18.