IOC drops wrestling from the 2020 Olympic program
Posted February 12, 2013 12:44 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (NEWS1130) – IOC leaders have dropped wrestling from the Olympic program, a surprise decision that removes one of the oldest Olympic sports from the 2020 Games.
The IOC executive board has decided to retain modern pentathlon — the event considered most at risk — and remove wrestling instead from its list of 25 “core sports.”
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.
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,” says IOC spokesman Mark Adams. “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.”
Adams adds 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. IOC President Jacques Rogge did not vote.
Former Olympian and Canadian champion Chris Wilson is disappointed.
“It’s not an extremely popular sport outside of the time period of the Olympics, but to go this far and have it be recommended to be removed from the games is something that none of us ever expected to see.”
He warns the future of the sport could be in jeopardy.
“If the federal government decides to start cutting back some of their funding, provincial sport organizations may start to cut back, universities may start to cut back… It could be a very difficult thing for wrestling.”
Canada took home Gold in Wrestling events in 2000, 2008, as well as last year in London. Famous BC competitors include Daniel Igali and Carol Huynh.
