IOC Drops Wrestling From Olympic Roster
The International Olympic Committee has left wrestling out of the 2020 Olympic Games event programme following a meeting of the organisation’s executive board in which all 26 sports were reviewed.
There is still a chance the sport may be re-included when the IOC meets in Buenos Aries in September to ratify the decision however it will be competing with seven other sports for the single space: squash, roller sports, sporting climbing, baseball/softball, karate, wakeboarding and Wushu.
The International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA) said in a statement: ‘FILA will take all necessary steps to convince the executive committee and members of the IOC of this aberration of a decision against one of the founding sports of the ancient and modern Olympic Games. FILA has always complied with IOC rules, is present in 180 countries where wrestling is a national sport for many, offering athletes their only chance of competing at the Olympics and contributing to the Games’ universality.’
The sport, which combines freestyle Greco-Roman events, was included in the first modern Olympics in Athens in 1896 and has been at every Games since. In London 2012 the sport featured 344 athletes competing in 11 medal events.
British wrestler Non Evans told the BBC: ‘I didn’t see it coming. I’m very shocked, surprised and disappointed. Wrestling is one of the most ancient sports, but I think the world has changed.’
Before making its decision, the IOC’s programme commission assessed each sport by looking at such factors as TV ratings, ticket sales, anti-doping and global popularity.
Golf and rugby sevens will be part of the programme for the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro after winning inclusion in 2010.
