PATSCHERKOFEL, Jan 18 - A few exceptions aside, a fundamental rule of sports is that men and women don't compete together.

That is changing at the Innsbruck 2012 Youth Winter Olympic Games.

And if International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques ROGGE (BEL) has his way, there'll be more mixed-gender competitions at the traditional Olympic Games, too.

"If there are more mixed events to come, which I think will be the case, it will be a replacement of existing events," ROGGE said Tuesday.

The International Ski Federation (FIS) unsuccessfully lobbied the IOC for a mixed-gender alpine event to be included at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games.

The 2014 Games will have a biathlon mixed-gender team relay.

The inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games features mixed-gender events in biathlon, curling, cross-country skiing, figure skating, luge, short track speed skating and ski jumping, putting men and women together in teams.

Mixed-gender competition has been a feature of Youth Olympic Games since the first edition in Singapore in 2010. However, few see men and women going head to head in Olympic events in the foreseeable future.

FIS President Gian Franco KASPER (SUI) said "the ladies might not look to good" if they went up against men.

In downhill, for example, they would have to ski on the same course and KASPER believes women aren't ready for that.

"I'm not against hospitals, but we don't have to give them business," KASPER joked.

Female alpine skier and 1988 Olympic Gold medallist Sigrid WOLF (AUT) agreed that men should not ski against women, "but if it's a team, it's great."

"It is a 'physiological reality' that men are stronger, they have an edge in most events." ROGGE said.

"But there are events, mixed events, where women can beat men. Equestrian is one good example."

If men and women ever do compete against each other, Youth Olympic Alpine Skier Christina AGER (AUT) will be ready.

"I would consider it a challenge and I'd like to try it," said AGER, who has won two medals thus far in Innsbruck.

But for alpine skier Veronica OLIVIERI (ITA), competing in the mixed-gender team event Tuesday was quite sufficient.

"It's a beautiful experience competing with the men because skiing is [usually] an individual sport and if we have the opportunity to compete with other men and girls, it's beautiful for me," OLIVIERI said.

IOC Young Reporter Nicholas Olivier