Arif Khan Secures India's Slalom Quota for Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

Indian alpine skier Arif Khan has secured a quota in the slalom skiing event for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, with confirmation coming on Monday. Although Arif Mohammed Khan’s quota in the slalom event is secured, India’s National Olympic Committee (NOC) will still have to confirm the Jammu and Kashmir skiers’ participation to the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) in a day’s time. A maximum of 306 athletes are permitted to compete at the Winter Olympics in alpine skiing with each country allowed to field up to 22 competitors - 11 men and 11 women. The slalom is one of five alpine skiing events with downhill, super G, giant slalom and combined being the others. To secure a quota for the 2026 Winter Olympics in slalom, the average of five best results in the event between the period of July 1, 2024, to January 18, 2026, were considered. During this period, athletes achieved results and FIS points that counted toward their Olympic FIS points list, which was used to allocate quota places. Athletes had to achieve results under 120 FIS points in slalom, calculated from the average of their best five scores during the qualification period. Arif Khan accumulated enough points to earn a quota for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. He achieved nine results under 120 FIS points in 2024 and 2025 with seven of them coming at the Ski Dubai, Mall of the Emirates as well as a couple at Arieseni in Romania. This was the second time that Arif Khan clinched a quota spot for the Winter Olympics qualification after he was also India’s sole representative at Beijing 2022. A national and South Asian slalom champion in alpine skiing, he also qualified for giant slalom in Beijing 2022, earning him the distinction of becoming the first Indian to win direct quota spots in two different Winter Olympics events. Arif Mohammad Khan went on to record a 45th place finish in giant slalom - the best-ever result in the event by any Indian in Winter Olympics history. However, he did not finish in the men's slalom event at Beijing 2022. The men’s races will be held in Bormio at the Stelvio Ski Centre. The alpine skiing events will take place between February 7 and 18. The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will run from February 6 to 22 in Italy.