The two were rejected in separate bids to return for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, so they combined forces to put forward a single bid for inclusion in Tokyo.
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An online petition addressed to IOC president Thomas Bach stated, “Skateboarding is not a “sport” and we do not want skateboarding exploited and transformed to fit into the Olympic Program”.
Fernando Aguerre, the president of the International Surfing Association, said Tokyo would be a “game-changing moment” for his sport’s athletes “to compete for their countries on the greatest sporting stage”, as The Guardian reports.
In a unanimous vote, the 90 IOC members backed the executive board’s recommendation to bring in the five sports, which will add 470 athletes to the Olympic Village and 18 new events in four years’ time.
The IOC voted to include baseball, softball, surfing, skateboarding, karate, and sport climbing.
The IOC has focused on events meant to draw younger viewers, adding BMX riding in Beijing. What will be interesting to see is how these other sports will be done at the Olympics.
Siargao International Surfing defending champion John Mark Tokong also said he was stunned by the news.
“This will constitute a new chapter in the illustrious history of the Olympic Games”, Yoshiro Mori, president of the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, was quoted by local media as telling the IOC assembly. “Journalists are integral to the success of all global sporting events, and the IOC charter affirms that the IOC must take “all necessary steps to ensure the fullest coverage” of the games”, CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said in a statement.
It will mark the first time he has participated in the opening ceremony.
Ream doesn’t think skateboarding will have as hard of a time accepting, and being accepted, by the Olympics. “We are going to do it the right way”. “Indoor climbing has really taken off in the past few years and we will expect to see outdoor climbing grow in popularity too, which gives people a chance to get out into nature and keep fit”.
“Officially the International Olympic Committee says that they include sports which have a wide presence around the world, that’s the first criteria, and the second criteria is that these particular sports add to the value of Olympism but really what they’re looking at is growing the Games from a commercial perspective and I think this is what really underpins their decision”.
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Down says softball has continued to fare well since its Olympic run ended – they had 30 teams at their last world championship, including some from traditional non-softball countries – but she says this week’s return should pay big dividends.
