“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.
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Although some star players, like Wimbledon champion Andy Murray and Brazilian soccer celebrity Neymar are lined up, many other pros in golf, tennis and baseball refuse to turn out because the financial rewards are just too small.
A decision in this regard was taken at Rio de Janerio on Wednesday by the International Olympic Committee and it quite naturally triggered off celebrations in the karate fraternity. The sports will be: skateboarding, surfing, baseball/softball, karate, and sports climbing. “We are already seeing increased popularity of the sport across the world and the Olympic Games will provide an incredible platform to further showcase surfing”.
‘With the many options that young people have, we can not expect any more that they will come automatically to us.
The decision is another vote of confidence for IOC president Thomas Bach’s “Olympic Agenda 2020” plan to freshen up the Games and keep them relevant for younger audiences.
“Today’s (Wednesday) vote was the culmination of a two-year process that began with the unanimous approval of the IOC’s strategic roadmap in 2014”. They last featured at the Olympics in Beijing in 2008 before being taken off the programme and missing the 2012 and the 2016 Games.
“Winning a gold medal in the Olympics is the epitome of sports, as I see it”, Moore told The Huffington Post.
Thirty-six years later, at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, the country that won the first-ever Olympic baseball title will become the host of the sport’s return to the games.
A recommendation to introduce the five sports was unanimously backed by all 90 International Olympic Committee members on Wednesday.
Men’s baseball was a full part of the Olympic program from 1992 to 2008, with women’s softball joining in 1996. The IOC added the sports in an effort to add events that would be popular among younger athletes, especially in Japan. The IOC will just be adding 18 events, and the 474 athletes who will compete in them. We generally don’t hear much chatter for sports such as badminton, for example, or handball.
“Time to start the four-year long journey”.
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Karate will be included in Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.What to Expect?
