Five sports waiting on nod for Tokyo 2020 praised by Olympic commission
Thursday 28 July 2016 22:37, UK
Skateboarding is among five sports closing on a place in the Tokyo 2020 programme after all were praised for their "collective dynamism" by the Olympic programme commission.
Surfing, karate, sports climbing and baseball/softball were recommended in June, along with skateboarding, for inclusion as a package of sports by the executive board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
A final decision will be announced in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday, two days before the opening ceremony for the 2016 Games in Rio's Maracana Stadium.
The programme commission verdict on Thursday gave nothing to suggest the IOC session in Brazil next week will not give final approval to what the organisation previously called "the most comprehensive evolution of the Olympic programme in modern history".
In a detailed report, assessing each sport, the programme commission labelled them "a dynamic and exciting package" that "encompasses both traditional and emerging, youth-focused events, all of which are popular both in Japan and internationally".
The IOC hopes to draw in new audiences by focusing on the youth-oriented sports, and said in a statement that also important was "the impact on gender equality" and "legacy value".
The five added sports would include 18 events and involve 474 athletes, the IOC has said.
Existing Olympic sports are to be unaffected by the IOC's decision next Wednesday, with the five proposed new sports to sit alongside the 28 already on the programme for Tokyo's second Olympics, and first since 1964.
