The IOC gives the green light to five new sports proposed for 2028

The 141st Session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will confirm next week the inclusion in the program of the Los Angeles 2028 Games of the five sports proposed by the organizing committee (baseball/softball, cricket, lacrosse, flag football and squash)after the organization’s Executive gave approval to the initiative, President Thomas Bach announced this Friday.

With the other three sports awaiting a decision for 2028, weightlifting, modern pentathlon and boxing, the first two will be included and the case of the third will continue to be studied.

The German leader also indicated that there are 16 proposals for new disciplines for that edition (sporting events have already been accepted) and that the only one accepted was sprint beach rowingwhich involved removing the lightweight double scull.

In addition to recommending the entry of five new sports, “consistent” with the sporting tradition and culture of the host country, Bach explained, they are in favor of continuing the modern pentathlon after the change from the equestrian jumping test to the running obstacle courses.

“Without this change, the modern pentathlon would not be included in the program“said Bach at a press conference in Bombay (India).

The Session will also recommend the acceptance of weightlifting, which is questionable due to irregularities in its management. The International Federation’s decision to delegate anti-doping testing to the International Testing Agency (ITA) and sanctions to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has been decisive, the president said.

The third sport pending a decision, boxing, will continue to be studied. His federation (IBA) has been suspended, also for many shortcomings, and Bach recalls that no other organization has earned that recognition.

“We like boxing in the program, we have no problem with boxing, we have a big problem with its federation“, he said to the president.

If the Session approves the Executive’s proposals, as is usually the case, the program for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games will consist of the following sports: athletics, rowing (with the addition of beach sprint rowing), badminton, basketball, canoeing , cycling , horse riding, fencing, football, golf, gymnastics, handball, hockey, judo, wrestling, swimming, rugby, taekwondo, tennis, table tennis, shooting, archery, triathlon, sailing, volleyball, surfing, skateboarding, climbing, pentathlon modern, weightlifting, baseball/softball, lacrosse, squash, cricket and flag football; in boxing the decision is still pending.

Regarding the Paris 2024 program, ‘breaking’ is missing.