Snowboarding is an Olympic sport that has been contested at the Winter Olympic Games since the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.[1] Snowboarding was one of five new sports or disciplines added to the Winter Olympic programme between 1990 and 2002, and was the only one not to have been a previous medal or demonstration event.[2] In 1998, four events, two for men and two for women, were held in two specialities: the giant slalom, a downhill event similar to giant slalom skiing; and the half-pipe, in which competitors perform tricks while going from one side of a semi-circular ditch to the other.[2]CanadianRoss Rebagliati won the men's giant slalom and became the first athlete to win a gold medal in snowboarding.[3] Rebagliati was briefly stripped of his medal by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after testing positive for marijuana. However, the IOC's decision was reverted following an appeal from the Canadian Olympic Association.[4] For the 2002 Winter Olympics, the giant slalom was dropped in favour of the parallel giant slalom, an event that involves head-to-head racing.[5] In 2006, a third event, the snowboard cross, was held for the first time. In this event, competitors race against each other down a course with jumps, beams and other obstacles.[6]
