In a surprise move, the International Olympic Committee dropped wrestling from the 2020 Summer Olympics. The IOC board acted after reviewing the 26 sports on the current Olympic
program. Eliminating one sport allows the International Olympic
Committee to add a new sport to the program later this year.
While both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling will be included at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, it was cut from the games in 2020, which have yet to be awarded to a host city. Wrestling goes back to the inaugural modern Olympics in Athens in 1896.
Wrestling was voted out from a final group that also included modern
pentathlon, taekwondo and field hockey, sources told the Associated Press.
This is a process of renewing and renovating the program for the Olympics, IOC spokesman Mark Adams told the Associated Press. In the view of the executive board, this was the best program for the Olympic Games in 2020. Its not a case of whats wrong with wrestling, it is whats right with the 25 core sports.
Adams said the decision was made by secret ballot over several rounds, with members voting each time on which sport should not be included in the core group.
The decision was based after a review of a report by the IOC program commission report that analyzed 39 criteria, including television ratings, ticket sales, anti-doping policy and global participation and popularity. The final decision by the 15-member board was also subject to political, emotional and sentimental factors.
A New York Times article said the IOC has in recent years been concerned about the growing size of the Summer Games and looked to cap the number athletes to 10,500. It also has said it wants to attract a younger audience worldwide and wrestling doesnt pack the number of stars as other sports do. On Tuesday, the committee said in a statement that it wanted to make sure the Games remained “relevant to sports fans of all generations.”
Wrestling featured 344 athletes competing in 11 medal events in freestyle and seven in Greco-Roman at 2012’s London Olympics. Womens wrestling was added to the Olympics at the 2004 Athens Games.
Wrestling will now join seven other sports in applying for inclusion in 2020. The others are a combined bid from baseball and softball, karate, squash, roller sports, sport climbing, wakeboarding and wushu. They will be vying for a single opening in 2020.
The IOC executive board will meet in May in St. Petersburg, Russia, to decide which sport or sports to propose for 2020 inclusion.
The last sports removed from the Olympics were baseball and softball in in 2005. Golf and rugby will be joining the program at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.
The United States Olympic Committee offered a response to the IOC Executive Board’s decision to drop wrestling from the 2020 Games.
“We knew that today would be a tough day for American athletes competing in whatever sport was identified by the IOC Executive Board,” USOC CEO Scott Blackmun said in a statement. “Given the history and tradition of wrestling, and its popularity and universality, we were surprised when the decision was announced.
“It is important to remember that today’s action is a recommendation, and we hope that there will be a meaningful opportunity to discuss the important role that wrestling plays in the sports landscape both in the United States and around the world. In the meantime, we will fully support USA Wrestling and its athletes.”
The decision to remove wrestling from the Games not surprisingly has led to many athletes, Olympians and coaches speaking out. Penn State wrestling coach and Olympian Cael Sanderson told the Associated press it “was sickening” that wrestling was dropped.
Sanderson has since posted a list of names and addresses of IOC Executive Board Members on his personal website, encouraging wrestling fans to write letters to the members, showing their support for the sport.
2004 Olympic Greco-Roman champion Khasan Baroev of Russia called the decision “mind-boggling.”
“I
just cant believe it. And what sport will then be added to the Olympic
program? What sport is worthy of replacing ours?” Baroev told the
ITAR-Tass news agency. “Wrestling is popular in many countries — just
see how the medals were distributed at the last Olympics.”
Among the other statements that have been issued:
Statement from USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender
USA Wrestling is surprised and disappointed about todays announcement concerning the International Olympic Committee Executive Board recommendation that wrestling not be a core sport included in the 2020 Olympic Games.
Wrestling is one of the sports of the original Greek Olympic Games and in the first modern Olympic Games. It is one of the most diverse sports in the world, with nearly 200 nations from all continents participating in wrestling. It is an inclusive sport which provides opportunities worldwide, regardless of geography, race, gender or physical characteristics.
We look forward to telling the story about wrestling to the International Committee leadership and the entire world about our great sport and why it should be part of the Olympic movement forever.
USA Wrestling pledges to be a leader in the international effort to insure that wrestling remains on the Olympic program. As we continue our leadership in expanding wrestling within our nation, we also will place our full resources and energy behind supporting wrestling on the international level.
Statement from United States Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun
We knew that today would be a tough day for American athletes competing in whatever sport was identified by the IOC Executive Board. Given the history and tradition of wrestling, and its popularity and universality, we were surprised when the decision was announced. It is important to remember that todays action is a recommendation, and we hope that there will be a meaningful opportunity to discuss the important role that wrestling plays in the sports landscape both in the United States and around the world. In the meantime, we will fully support USA Wrestling and its athletes.
Statement from FILA
FILA was greatly astonished by todays recommendation of the IOC Executive Board not to maintain wrestling among the 25 core sports for the 2020 Olympic Games. FILA will take all necessary measures to convince the IOC Executive Board and IOC members of the aberration of such decision against one of the founding sports of the ancient and modern Olympic Games. FILA has always complied with the IOC regulations and is reprensented in 180 countries, with wrestling being the national sport in a fair amount of them and the only possibility for athletes to represent their country at the Olympic Games, thus contributing to their universality.
The FILA Bureau will meet in Phuket (THA) on 16-17 February and will address this issue in view of the presentation of wrestling in front of the IOC Executive Board in St-Petersburg next May.
Statement from U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Iowa,
Im outraged by the International Olympic Committees arbitrary decision to drop wrestling from the Olympic Games. Wrestling is one of the oldest Olympic sports, dating to the games of the ancient Greeks. Iowans are proud of our states long tradition of wrestling excellence-from Frank Gotch to Dan Gable to Cael Sanderson-and the IOCs decision deals a major blow to the sport itself.
