Olympic Games: How A Sport Is Selected In The Olympics?

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The Olympic Games are scheduled to start from July 26 and will run till August 11 in Paris. There have been certain sports that are making their debut in the upcoming edition of the multi-sporting event. But have you ever thought about how new sports are included in the Olympic Games what’s the procedure and do the host nations have a say in the inclusion of the new sport? In this article, we will look at the answers to these highly asked-questions.

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Olympic Games: How A Sport Is Selected In The Olympics?

The Role Of IOC

The International Olympic Committee plays a major role in deciding what sports are needed to be included in the Olympic Games and that’s the decision which is taken in an annual meeting held in the same year when the host nation for the coming Olympic edition is decided. The International Olympic Committee takes into account certain principles for the sport to be a part of the Olympic Games.

• The Sport must be governed by the International Federation of that particular country from where the proposal of including the sport in the Olympics has been made and the International Federation should be recognised by the International Olympic Committee
• The sport should adhere to the guidelines of the World Anti-Dopping Agency (WADA) in order to get included in the Olympics
• The Sport should adhere to the charter which specifies the principles, rules, and regulations for sport to become a part of the Olympic Games

Role of Host Nation

The host nation also has a say in the inclusion of a particular sport in an Olympics. The IOC after selecting the host venue for a particular edition of the Olympic Games directs the Olympic Committee of that particular country to set up an organizing committee that is responsible for ensuring the smooth conduct of the Olympic Games in the city chosen for holding the Olympic Games it is through the organizing committee that the national Olympic committee of that particular nation can propose the inclusion of a sport.

Also Read: Olympics: Sumit Nagal Qualifies For The Paris Olympics 2024

The Instance

An instance of this was seen during the 2020 Olympics held in Tokyo Japan in the year 2021 where the organizing committee introduced five new sports — surfing, karate, sport climbing, skateboarding, and baseball/softball. Surfing, karate, and sports climbing all of which will be a part of the Olympic Games this  year in Paris as well.

Also Read: Tuvalu To Send One-Man Army To Paris Olympics 2024

Sports To be Included This Year

If we talk about the 2024 Olympic Games scheduled to take place in Paris France the IOC is all set to introduce Breaking as a sport which is a sport that includes an urban dance style that the public in America became familiar with in the 1970s. According to the sport’s page on the Olympics website, it is an “urban dance style that originated in the United States in the 1970s. With roots in hip-hop culture, breaking first took form in the lively block parties in the Bronx borough of New York, and is characterised by acrobatic movements, stylised footwork”.

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