BEIJING — Youth-focused sports with deep roots in California — skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing — elbow aside the traditional sports of boxing, modern pentathlon and weightlifting on the initial sports program for Los Angeles 2028.
The 139th IOC Session voted unanimously by a show of hands — both in person at the China National Convention Centre and virtually — to approve the proposal for the 28 sports to be contested in Los Angeles.
There was no debate prior to the vote, which IOC President Thomas Bach attributed to a “clear, maybe even convincing,” proposal.
International Surfing Association president Fernando Aguerre was understandably emotional after the announcement.
“How much I would have loved to share the news with some very special people: Greg Noll, Eduardo Arena, Dick Baker, Duke Kahanamoku and my late parents Norma Mattalia and Alberto Aguerre,” he said to Around the Rings.
Skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing made their debut at Tokyo 2020 and are also on the program for Paris 2024. However, IOC spokesman Mark Adams confirmed to Around the Rings the three sports are not permanent additions. The concept of “core” sports is no longer used by the IOC.
At the same time, the IOC has thrown boxing, modern pentathlon and weightlifting a lifeline. If they meet requirements by the 2023 session, they could work their way back onto the program.
The IOC recognition of the boxing federation has been suspended since June 2019, with ongoing concerns over its governance, finance, and judging. Boxing made its Olympic debut in 1904 and with the exception of 1912 has been in every Games since.
Although Karl Stoss, chair of the Olympic program commission, noted that the International Weightlifting Federation has made positive steps thanks to close monitoring by IOC, there are still “extreme concerns” related to governance, instability, and anti-doping efforts.
He said the sport needed an “effective change of culture.” Weightlifting was part of the 1896 Olympic program. The sport missed 1900, 1908 and 1912, but has been part of every other Olympics.
Modern pentathlon had successfully avoided the chopping block for years, but now must make major changes to continue its unbroken string of appearances at the Olympics since 1912.
The international federation must decide on a replacement for horse riding and must revise its format, as well as issues including safety, universality and appeal for young people.
LA28 also has retained the right to propose one or two additional sports at the 2023 IOC Session. With baseball and softball popular in the United States, those sports could be candidates.
Stoss said skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing fit the “progressive vision” of LA28.
Los Angeles was so confident the sports would be approved that new logos were released for each of them.
The logos were designed by young skateboarding phenom and Olympic bronze medalist Sky Brown, sport climbing silver medalist Nathaniel Coleman and Carissa Moore, the first surfer to win Olympic and world titles in the same competition season.
“The LA28 Games have always been about bringing more freshness, youthful energy and creativity into the Olympic and Paralympic movement,” said LA28 Chairperson Casey Wasserman.
“Los Angeles is a place unlike any other and it will be incredible to host surfing, skateboarding and climbing as iconic West Coast sports alongside Olympic fan favorites.”
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