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Holy Gorgeous George: In a Major Surprise, the International Olympic Committee Dumps One of the Oldest Sports From the Olympics

Feb 12, 2013  •  Post A Comment

The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013, in a surprise move, has voted to remove one of the oldest Olympic sports from the 2020 Summer Games, reports the Associated Press.

The article says that the IOC voted to remove the sport of wrestling from the Games, and retain modern pentathlon instead. "The IOC board acted after reviewing the 26 sports on the current Olympic program," according to the story. "Eliminating one sport allows the International Olympic Committee to add a new sport to the program later this year."

The story continues, "Wrestling, which combines freestyle and Greco-Roman events, goes back to the inaugural modern Olympics in Athens in 1896.

" ‘This is a process of renewing and renovating the program for the Olympics,’ IOC spokesman Mark Adams said. ‘In the view of the executive board, this was the best program for the Olympic Games in 2020. It’s not a case of what’s wrong with wrestling, it is what’s right with the 25 core sports.’ "

The article adds, "The last sports removed from the Olympics were baseball and softball, voted out by the IOC in 2005 and off the program since the 2008 Beijing Games. Golf and rugby will be joining the program at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.

"The IOC program commission report analyzed more than three dozen criteria, including television ratings, ticket sales, anti-doping policy and global participation and popularity.

"With no official rankings or recommendations contained in the report, the final decision by the 15-member board was also subject to political, emotional and sentimental factors."

2 Comments

  1. Wonder what one of the first Olympic sports was? Oh yeah, wrestling. It’s so old, let’s get rid of it and save modern pentathlon. Next question is I wonder how many people can tell what events are in modern pentathlon? I sure can’t. Can’t say I care either.

  2. Absolutely idiotic. I guess the next to go will be track and field.
    Those dopes at the IOC are beyond stupid. And what is magical about “25 core sports”?

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