Home>News Center>Sports
         
 

Rogge: no sports will be cut from Summer Olympics
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-04-19 13:59

IOC president Jacques Rogge reassured international federations Monday that it's unlikely any sports will be dropped from the Summer Olympics.


International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge gives a press conference held at Berlin's Intercontinental Hotel, during the IOC's executive board meeting. [AFP]
The IOC has completed a review of the 28 sportsin the Summer Olympics and the five sports hoping to get into the Olympics, which is aimed to consider whether any changes should be made for the program of the 2012 Games.

Some federations fear their sports could be in danger of being cut when the International Olympic Committee assembly finalizes theprogram in Singapore in July.

"There should be no anxiety," Rogge said after ajoint meeting of the IOC executive board and the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations.

"The process will be a totally fair process. Reading the report, I have only one conclusion. Wehave very strong federations, and strong federations should have nothing to fear."

All sports contested in Athens last August, as well as the five hopefuls -- golf, rugby, squash, karate and roller sports -- have been assessed by the IOC's Program Commission.

The report lists the various sports' strengths and weaknesses but does not recommend whether any sport should remain in or be dropped from the Games programme.

Rogge repeatedly has said that no sport will beadded unless oneis dropped. The last sport eliminated from the Summer Olympics waspolo -- in 1936.

In 2002, Rogge proposed that baseball, softballand modernpentathlon be dropped, and golf and rugby added. But IOC members resisted and no vote was taken.

The current review does not apply to the 2008 Beijing Olympics,which will feature the same sports as Athens. Any changes would take place for the 2012 Olympics, whose host city will be picked by theIOC on July 6 in Singapore.

Rogge said the IOC will notify the federations in the next weekor so what procedure will be used to decide on thesports program in Singapore. Under one proposal, each of the 28 sports would be put toa roll call vote.

Rogge, meanwhile, ruled out raising the number of Olympic sportsabove the limit of 28. He said the cap was approved by the IOC in 2002 and is enshrined in the Olympic charter and host city contracts.

"We do not want the games to become too big," Rogge said. "Ifyou go above the number of 28, you increase the demands on the organizing committee and cause saturation among the public. Therules are set. There is no way we can change that."

Rogge also dismissed the possibility of moving some summer sports to the Winter Olympics, an idea raised by FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

Under IOC rules, only sports practiced on snow or ice areincluded in the Winter Games.

Rogge said the regulation protects the "identity" of the WinterOlympics. In addition, he said, adding summer sports would force winter organizers to build additional indoor arenas.



A Farewell to Armstrong
Rockets beat Clippers 115-90, win 6th straight
Manchester United crush Newcastle 4-1, ease into the FA CIP final
 
  Today's Top News     Top Sports News
 

Agreements pave way for China-Australia FTA

 

   
 

Spotting Great Wall from space IS possible

 

   
 

Tang: Japan failed trust of the Chinese people

 

   
 

NPC to discuss Basic Law interpretation

 

   
 

Invitation for second Taiwan party chief

 

   
 

Bush says raising retirement age a possibility

 

   
  Rogge: no sports will be cut from Summer Olympics
   
  Yao, McGrady help Rockets win 6th straight
   
  Armstrong to retire after Tour de France
   
  Hao Haidong scores his first goal in England
   
  Kidd and McGrady nab NBA weekly honors
   
  Injured O'Neal could rest until playoffs
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
Advertisement