Non-Olympic Sports Body Raises Concerns About 2020 Sports Bidding

(ATR) The head of the Association of Recognized IOC International Sports Federations tells Around the Rings he opposes the process for choosing one sport to join the 2020 Olympic program.

ARISF president Jan Fransoo said that discussions about the Olympic Games program "should be held at the level of disciplines rather than sports".

"ARISF has been arguing for many years that the Olympic program discussion should take place at the level of the 40-odd disciplines of the Games, as this will allow for much more flexibility and a much easier discussion," he said.

Fransoo made the recommendations in a submission to the IOC’s Olympic Congress in Copenhagen in 2009.

His comments Thursday come amid fears that the seven ARISF member sports competing to join the 2020 Olympic program are being marginalized in the bid process by the growing global support for wrestling to keep its Olympic status.

The IOC’s ruling board last month recommended to axe the ancient Olympic sport from the program. Wrestling joins karate, roller sport, squash, sport climbing, wakeboard and wushu as well as a joint bid by baseball and softball in the bidding contest to secure one slot on the 2020 Olympic program.

Fransoo’s renewed calls for a different system to select a sport for the Olympics were sparked by criticism of the sports bidding process by the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations and Association of National Olympic Committees.

Both ASOIF and ANOC have announced their support for wrestling to be retained as a core Olympic sport.

"They are arguing that the process is not correct," said the Dutch president of the International Korfball Federation.

"While I feel sympathy for any sport being dropped from the Olympic program, I strongly oppose any change in rules or procedures while the match is still being played.

"All constituents of the Olympic Family, including ASOIF, have agreed with the current procedure and hence the shortlisted sport from the ARISF family should be given the chance to compete for a spot on the 2020 program."

After the eight international federations present to the IOC Executive Board in May, one or more sports will be proposed for a vote at the IOC Session in Buenos Aires in September.

"Once this process is completed later this year, I am sure ARISF will again be happy to discuss ideas such as those that are now being put forward by ASOIF, that discussions about the Olympic Games program should be held at the level of disciplines rather than sports," Fransoo added.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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