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New Olympic Sports: Examining the Process of Inclusion

Olympic sports

Have you ever wondered how the modern Olympics came about? The modern Olympics started in 1896, although the concept dates back to ancient Greece. The event takes place once every four years, and it features a variety of popular sports at the professional level. The modern Olympics is split into the Winter Olympics for winter-inclined sports and the Summer Olympics for others. It helps to promote unity between athletes and nations as well as entertain fans all over the world. Sports events in the Olympics are usually exciting and unpredictable, and casinos like online casino in Australia are related to recreational activities, too. The excitement of playing new games always captures both women and men, just as it does during a confrontation in the sports arena. To proceed, below are some sports that have completed the inclusion process.

How New Sports are Added to the Olympics

Before each event, every 4 years, there has to be what sports to be featured, i.e. sports to be discontinued, continued or added. The central body involved with including and excluding sports from the Olympics is the IOC (International Olympic Committee). The committee board accepts recommendations from sports organisations and evaluates them on standards such as inclusivity and participation, the safety of everyone involved, and the image the sport portrays.

The Council proposes sports that meet its criteria for consideration by the full committee. Sporting events deemed suitable for the Olympic Games move into the planning stage, where logistics and numbers are discussed. Existing events need to be restructured to create time for adding new events. The board’s decision to include a sport may be temporary or permanent. Similarly, providers are constantly adding new casino games. Some become popular over the years and are included in the updated ranking of the best online casinos in Australia, while some fade into the background because they have yet to receive a response from players. 

Surfing and Skateboarding

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Although surfing is a popular sport worldwide, it was only recently introduced to the Olympics. Before the Tokyo Olympics 2020, surfing was mainly a lifestyle component, with a few competitions for professionals to showcase their skills. The IOC included surfing to attract a broader range of viewers. 

Skateboarding is such a unique sport with a particular fan base. It is also one of the sports the IOC has incorporated into the Olympics to get more viewers. Skateboarding has its roots in surfing and was initially referred to as sidewalk surfing. The sport brought a fresh brand of entertainment to the Tokyo Olympics. 

Golf, Lacrosse and Rugby

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Golf was featured multiple times in the Olympics in the last century before it was dropped. It was reinstated in 2016 when it was divided into Men’s and Women’s golf, and it has been featured ever since. Golf was also part of the Olympics’s attempt to diversify the viewers.

Lacrosse is another sport that is making its way back to the Olympics. An old version of lacrosse was a part of the Olympics in the early days of the Olympics before it was fazed out. The IOC has decided that the modern-day Olympics should feature the sport. 

Rugby is also an old sport with different versions, one of which has appeared in the Olympics. A faster and more condensed version returned to the Olympics in the summer of 2016. The sport featured both men’s and women’s versions, and viewers were entertained throughout the event. 

Breaking

Because of its connection to hip-hop music, the breakdance movement gained popularity among young African Americans growing up in inner cities in the United States. In 2018, breaking officially appeared in Buenos Aires at the Youth Olympic Games. Breaking, along with surfing, skateboarding, and sport climbing, has been selected as a new sport for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris following its remarkable success. 

Excluded Games

In special editions of the Olympic Games, a particular sport may be presented once. Also, you should know about some sports excluded from the Olympic Games. These include:

  • Cricket and Polo: Cricket is a famous game that has not been a part of the Olympics since the 1900 Olympics. Cricket had less appeal in the early 20th century than today, leading to its discontinuation. However, efforts have been made to add the sport to the 2028 Olympics. Polo is an elegant sport with origins in ancient Asia, and unfortunately, it has also been taken off the Olympics. Polo was ruled out early last century due to the lack of participation, logistics, and the perceived exclusive nature of the sport. Polo remains an elegant sport today and may one day return to the Olympics.
  • Roque: Roque is a sport that originated in the United States and became well-known in the last two centuries. It is a form of croquet that is okayed on a hard court with wooden boundaries. Since it was featured in 1904, Roque has not returned to the Olympics because its international appeal is insufficient. 
  • Motorboating: Motorboating has never been an official sport in the Olympics, but it once featured as a demonstration. Motorboating failed to make the official list after it was featured and has not been revisited. Although it has not grown in influence, motorboating entertained spectators in the 1908 Olympics.
  • Tug-of-war: Tug-of-war was featured in the Olympics for 20 years before it was discontinued due to injuries. It is a fun sport that requires strength and skill from opposing teams of 8 players. The sport is an exciting recreational activity older than the modern Olympics, but it still needs to get more appeal to be featured every year.
  • Karate: At the 121st International Olympic Committee election 2009, karate did not receive a two-thirds majority vote to become an Olympic sport. So, it will not be presented during the Olympic Games 2024.

Conclusion

The mission of the Olympic Sports Movement is to promote international friendship, unity, and the ideals of fair play via the practice of sport by all young people, without regard to race, religion, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, or any other factor. Athletes of various ages and backgrounds tune in to witness the contemporary Olympic Games. Performance in the Olympics may be broken down into four categories, all of which coincide: ceremony, competition, fete, and entertainment. If you haven’t attended any Olympic games, start preparing as the next one is closer than you think. The event is slated in Paris, France, from Fri, 26 July 2024 to Sun, 11 Aug 2024.

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