Which Olympics Sport Has the Highest Injury Rate?

Many people ask, which Olympics sport has the highest injury rate? Injury risk changes across the Summer and Winter Olympics because sports differ in contact, speed, “big air” landings, and training load. The most reliable comparisons come from International Olympic Committee (IOC) style surveillance studies that track injuries during the Games period.

Below, you’ll find the highest-risk and safer sports based on published surveillance from Tokyo 2020 (held in 2021) and Beijing 2022, plus what we know so far about Paris 2024 and Milano Cortina 2026. For broader guidance on common sports injuries and recovery options, see our Sports Injuries hub.

Short Answer

In the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, the highest injury incidence occurred in boxing and BMX racing (both 27%), followed by BMX freestyle (22%), skateboarding (21%), and karate (19%). In the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the highest injury incidence occurred in ski halfpipe (30%), ski big air (28%), snowboard slopestyle (23%), and ski slopestyle (22%).

Top 5 Highest Injury-Rate Sports: Summer Olympics (Tokyo 2020)

The Tokyo 2020 surveillance study reported the highest injury incidence in:

1. Boxing – 27%
2. BMX racing – 27%
3. BMX freestyle – 22%
4. Skateboarding – 21%
5. Karate – 19%

Handball also sat close behind (18%).

Top 5 Highest Injury-Rate Sports: Winter Olympics (Beijing 2022)

The Beijing 2022 surveillance study clearly reported the top four events below. For a fifth high-risk category, broader Winter Olympics research often places snowboard cross and ski aerials near the top because of speed, contact, and landing forces.

1. Ski halfpipe – 30%
2. Ski big air – 28%
3. Snowboard slopestyle – 23%
4. Ski slopestyle – 22%
5. High-risk snow sports (cross/aerial disciplines) – often reported near the top across Winter Olympic research

Safer Sports: Summer Olympics

In Tokyo 2020, the lowest injury incidence (about 1–2%) was reported in:

• Diving
• Road cycling
• Rowing
• Marathon swimming
• Shooting

Lower risk doesn’t mean “no risk”. These sports can still involve overuse injuries, especially with high training volume.

Safer Sports: Winter Olympics

In Beijing 2022, the lowest injury incidence (about 1–2%) was reported in:

• Curling
• Alpine mixed team parallel slalom
• Nordic combined
• Alpine super-G

These sports usually involve less collision exposure and fewer “big air” landings than freestyle and slopestyle events.

What’s New for Paris 2024 and Milano Cortina 2026?

Paris 2024 update

As of now, a single “whole Games” IOC-style surveillance paper with a complete sport-by-sport injury table for Paris 2024 has not been as easy to access in the same format as Tokyo 2020 or Beijing 2022. However, team-based surveillance studies from Paris 2024 add useful context:

• Team Korea reported injury and illness incidence rates during the pre-Olympic camp and Olympic Village periods, with higher injury risk in the Olympic Village than the camp. This is useful, but it reflects one delegation rather than every athlete at the Games.
• Team USA analysis linked injury/illness surveillance to performance outcomes, showing health problems can influence rankings and performance.

Until a full Games-wide sport-by-sport table is published and widely available, the best “apples-to-apples” sport ranking remains the Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 surveillance studies.

Milano Cortina 2026 update

Milano Cortina 2026 is recent. Public reporting highlights serious injuries in high-speed and collision sports, which fits the long-term pattern seen in Winter Olympics. Still, until an official surveillance paper publishes event-by-event incidence, the most reliable Winter reference remains the Beijing 2022 surveillance dataset.

Why Are Some Olympic Sports Riskier?

Higher injury rates often track with one or more of the following:

• Big air + high speed (hard landings, falls, crashes)
• Contact and collision (impact, tackles, body checks)
• Rapid cutting and deceleration (ankle, knee, groin stress)
• High external loads (heavy lifting and repetitive force)
• Tournament congestion (less recovery time between events)

Also, don’t skip the simple stuff. A proper cool down can support recovery and help you train again sooner.

What This Means for You

If you train or play a sport with contact, speed, jumping, or heavy load, treat early niggles seriously. A sports injury assessment can clarify whether pain relates to overload, technique, or a specific tissue injury. Then you can build a plan around strength, smart progressions, and a safe return to training.

Related Information

• Sports Injuries
• Sports Injury Physiotherapy
• Concussion
• Stress Fracture