The Olympic Games have evolved in each iteration to include something new. It has been a reflection of the changing dynamics in the sporting world. Along those lines, the 2020 Summer Olympics added skateboarding as a new sport, giving the athletes the validation they have been chasing for years. Now, with less than a year left for the 2024 Paris Olympics to commence, the committee is already looking five years down the line.

In 2028, the Olympic Games will take place tentatively in Los Angeles between July 14-30. The LA28 Organising Committee has pushed for the inclusion of five sports. The IOC’s Olympic Programme Commission has neglected this despite its massive success in the United States and worldwide. A huge battle is ahead for the LA28 Organising Committee, as they must bypass many roadblocks to secure their goals. Will they find success?

LA28 fights to include five new sports

The Olympic Games’ official Twitter account teased the fans and the athletes alike in a post that read, “Five sports have been proposed by the @LA28 Organising Committee for inclusion at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in five years’ time:⚾ Baseball-softball 🏏 Cricket 🏈 Flag football 🥍 Lacrosse ⚫ Squash”. The International Olympic Committee is reviewing the request, but as per initial reports, the approval is far from guaranteed.

The IOC cannot make the decision alone, as the judgments from the committee’s Executive Board hold significant weight. LA28’s proposal has reached the IOC’s Olympic Programme Commission, which is deliberating. Post this stage, the commission will send forth a recommendation to the Executive Board.

The final say on the recommendation remains with the Executive Board, who may reject the whole proposal. LA28 will have to fight for its cause at the 141st IOC Session in Mumbai, scheduled for October 15-17. LA28’s Chairperson Casey Wasserman explained the cause for their fight, saying, “They will bring new athletes to the Games, engage diverse fanbases and expand the Games’ presence in digital spaces, further amplifying LA28’s mission to deliver an unparalleled experience”. They are set for success with the 2020 rule change that allowed the inclusion of skateboarding into the Olympics.

2020 rule change paves the way for LA28’s push

The Olympic Agenda 2020, Olympic Agenda 2020+5, and the Olympic Charter’s Rule 45 are in favor of the proposal. These have stipulated a framework that allows for changing the Olympic programs to match the interests of the present times. Over the years, there have been many changes that include the removal of baseball-softball, cricket, and lacrosse from the programs. Now LA28 wants to add these once more, alongside flag football and squash.

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The IOC has been open to considering new sports of late. In the 2024 Paris Olympics, the fans will get to see breaking, skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing as new additions. With the LA28’s proposal nearing approval, the program list will get even bigger.

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