JOZEF NINIS, OLY
Jozef Ninis is one of the most experienced Slovak representatives in the sport of luge. His sporting career is built on long-term perseverance, systematic preparation, and repeated success within the demanding Olympic qualification system. He has represented Slovakia at five Winter Olympic Games and will achieve a historic sixth participation in 2026.
He made his Olympic debut at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, where he gained his first experience at the highest level of international competition. This was followed by participations at the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018, and Beijing 2022. His best individual Olympic result was achieved at the Sochi 2014 Games, where he finished 20th in the men's singles event. He also competed as part of the team relay at the Olympic Games.
In January 2026, his qualification for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 was officially confirmed. With his sixth Olympic appearance, he will set a Slovak national record for the highest number of starts at the Winter Olympic Games. His Olympic career demonstrates that elite performance can be built on continuity, patience, and respect for Olympic values.
OLYMPIC OATH
On behalf of the Slovak Olympic team, Jozef Ninis took the Olympic Oath, administered by the President of the Slovak Republic, Peter Pellegrini. This distinction is traditionally entrusted to the most experienced and respected athletes, in recognition of their sporting careers and commitment to Olympic values.
With his first run on the Olympic track in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Ninis will enter Slovak sporting history as the first Slovak athlete to compete at six Winter Olympic Games since the establishment of the independent Slovak Republic. At the international level, he will join a select group of athletes with multiple Olympic participations in luge, including Armin Zöggeler, Georg Hackl, Markus Prock, Gerda Weissensteiner, and Anna Orlova.
The highest number of Olympic participations among lugers is held by Albert Demchenko with seven appearances. The overall record for Winter Olympic participation across all sports belongs to Noriaki Kasai and Claudia Pechstein, each with eight Winter Olympic Games.
WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT NINIS
Felix Loch – Olympic Champion
"It is incredible how many years he has remained at the top, and I believe he still has more ahead of him. Honestly, when I heard that this might be his final season, I truly hope he will stay connected to our sport in any capacity. I wish him the very best of luck at the Olympic Games."
Matej Tóth – Olympic Champion
"Jozef is a role model for me. We are virtually the same age and competed in the same era. I have already been retired for five years, while he is heading to his sixth Olympic Games. What is more, he is still in excellent form. I admire his determination, perseverance, humility, his love for sport, and at the same time his strong sense of humanity."
Anastázia Kuzmina – Olympic Champion
"I know Jozef Ninis personally.
I had the opportunity to visit him and the whole team in Sigulda and at Štrbské Pleso. I believe it is truly exceptional, especially for young athletes, to experience this LEGEND of Slovak sport not only during the training process, but above all "in action" under the five rings for the sixth time. He has my great admiration and respect."
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