Four of The World Games members close to making it to the 2024 Olympics
On 25th June, the Paris 2024 proposal to include Surfing, Skateboarding, Break Dancing and Sport Climbing in their summer Olympic Games was presented at the 134th International Olympic Committee Session in Lausanne, Switzerland. At the end of the presentation, the IOC voted unanimously to approve the proposal. The four sports will now enter an observation period, with the final decision about inclusion to be made at the IOC Executive Board meeting in December 2020.
Break Dancing (‘Breaking’) is set to make its debut as an Olympic sport at Paris 2024, while Skateboarding, Sport Climbing and Surfing, already in the programme of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, have been invited to return in Paris four years later. All the four sports are sports from a member federation of the International World Games Association.
According to the Paris 2024 Organising Committee, their goal for their Olympic Games was to feature sports that are accessible, youth-orientated, creative and spectacular. The four sports chosen for the proposal were selected from 19 possible sports presented by their respective federations.
“I am delighted with the IOC Session’s vote in favour of our proposal to include Breaking, Sport Climbing, Skateboarding and Surfing on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games programme. Our aim from the outset has been to highlight what has been the strength of the Games for 32 Olympiads now – the diversity of sports and the excitement that comes with performance – while also taking the opportunity afforded by the IOC to enhance the programme and offer a new dimension. This is the synergy we have been striving for in proposing these four sports, which bring a real sense of innovation to the overall programme of 28 Olympic sports. As well as being spectacular and creative, they generate strong engagement among young people,”
said Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet.
The World Games is a multi-sport event staged every four years by the International World Games Association under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee. The 11th edition of The World Games will be held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 15-25 July 2021. 3,600 athletes from over 30 sports and 100 countries will take part in the Games.