Athletes compete in the men's 500m semifinal of short track speed skating at the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangneung, South Korea, Jan. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

A streamlined eight-day competition period with approximately 1,600 athletes will be featured at the 2028 Winter Youth Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee announced on Monday.

The scale represents about 20 percent fewer athletes than at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics in Gangwon. The decision was approved by the IOC Executive Board last week.

The Games will use fewer competition venues, relying mainly on existing infrastructure from the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina to cut operational and rental costs. The program will feature the seven core Winter Olympic sports: biathlon, bobsleigh, curling, ice hockey, luge, skating and skiing.

To bolster youth appeal, eight new events will debut, including synchronized skating, mixed singles luge, moguls and rail events for freestyle skiing and snowboarding. 15 events included at Gangwon 2024 have been dropped.

The rail events, recently added to the International Ski and Snowboard Federation calendar, are noted for their geographic accessibility, suitability for indoor training with minimal snow and cost-effective delivery using existing slopestyle infrastructure.

"This program represents an important step forward for the Winter YOG," said IOC member Karl Stoss, chair of the Olympic Program Commission. "It reflects a clear commitment to sustainability, innovation and youth focused sports formats."