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IOC board to pick two new sports for 2016 Olympics

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-03-30 13:45

WASHINGTON -- International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said on Friday the executive board will analyze the seven applicant sports and then propose two at an IOC meeting in Berlin this summer for inclusion in 2012 Games.

The seven sports, vying for the 2016 Summer Games, include baseball, golf, karate, rugby sevens, roller speedskating, softball and squash.

Related readings:  Baseball and softball strike out with IOC  Seven sports grapple for 2016 Olympic place

Rogge said the committee will review the sports at a board meeting on August 13 before the opening ceremonies at the world athletics championships in mid-August.

The IOC will choose a maximum of two new sports for 2016 when it meets in Copenhagen in October.

Softball and baseball took their last swings for at least eight years at the Beijing Olympics after an IOC vote in 2005 to exclude the sports for the 2012 London Games.

Rugby sevens, squash, golf, karate and roller sports were each considered for inclusion in the 2005 vote but none met a required two-thirds majority. Since then, the system has been changed to require only a simple majority for addition of new sports.