Sports that should added?

[runningrings]

Sumo!

[intoronto]

As a disciplines of wrestling might work

(but seriously I doubt it because there likely isn't any women's sumo wrestling)

I notice how Japan would benefit from Karate, baseball or wrestling. Climbing, Wushu, roller sports and water skiing are likely out.

[Sir Rols]

Shadow cast over baseball Olympic bid after MLB Commissioner refuse to stop season

April 26 - Baseball today claimed that it had the full backing of the world's most powerful and richest league in its bid to regain its place on the Olympic programme for 2020, even though the sport's most influential official cast a shadow over its campaign by warning he will not stop its season to accommodate its participation.

Bud Selig (pictured top), the Commissioner of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States, told a group of editors from the Associated Press that it would be impractical to introduce a break mid-season to allow the top players to take part in the Olympics, something which is seen as vital if baseball is return to the Games after it was dropped following Beijing 2008.

"We can't stop our season in August," he said.

"Do I wish I could?

"Yes.

"But is it practical?

"No."

Riccardo Fraccari, co-President of the new World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), tried to downplay Selig's comments.

"We have the full and unwavering support of MLB and all the pro leagues around the world," he said.

"They are fully behind our campaign to get baseball and softball returned to the Olympic programme - and they are supporting us in a number of substantial ways."

Fraccari, however, failed to address the specific issue raised by Selig's comments, which is whether the world's top players would be made available to compete in the Olympics.

The absence of MLB players in the Olympics is seen as one of the biggest reasons why the sport was voted off the programme by the IOC at its Session in Singapore in 2005.

Baseball and softball, which was also axed from the Olympic programme after Beijing 2008, are one of seven sports hoping to gain a spot in the 2020.

But they, along with climbing, karate, roller sports, squash, wakeboarding and wushu, face stiff competition from wrestling, which is trying to keep its place having been controversially recommended for removal from the list of core sports after Rio 2016.

"We share a vision of giving every boy and girl in the world a chance to play this great game -and to harness the power of the Olympic Games to inspire them to take up our sport and strive for excellence," said Fraccari.

"Commissioner Selig is on record in support of baseball and softball together in the Olympic Games, and we fully support the Commissioner's commitment to MLB's loyal fans.

"As the globalisation trends of baseball and softball continue to accelerate, we are convinced that baseball and softball, through their excitement, universality and popularity, will add enormous appeal and value to the 2020 Olympic Games and those beyond - as such, we look forward to making that case to the Olympic Family."

insidethegames

[intoronto]

They should just withdraw.

lol

Go wrestling!

[Sir Rols]

Snooker launches bid to get into Olympics

April 30 - Snooker today set its goal of one day becoming an Olympic sport after a meeting saw a new joint strategy agreed between its governing bodies.

The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) and the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) have agreed to work closely with the World Confederation of Billiard Sports (WCBS), the governing body for cue sports affiliated to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

At the meeting in Sheffield it was agreed that the WPBSA and the IBSF would work jointly on the international development of the sport, through multi-sport events such as the World Games and Asian Games.

Snooker is already guaranteed to be part of the World Games in Cali, Colombia, in July, with 16 players from a minimum of 12 countries to play for gold, silver and bronze medals.

Snooker has been part of the Asian Games programme since Bangkok in 1998.

At the last Games in Guangzhou in 2010 the men's singles was won by Hong Kong's Marco Fu with China's Chen Siming taking the women's gold, while China won the men and women's team events.

The new strategy launched today is intended to generate increased interest in the sport and help unlock funding around the world to develop the sport through National Governing Bodies.

Working jointly with the WCBS, which is based in Brussels and has 148 affiliated national federations, will allow the World Snooker Tour to be recognised as a world sport in the eyes of the IOC, they claimed.

"Snooker has progressed massively in recent years and this new agreement will open doors for us in new key markets to expand our sport," said WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson.

"I would like to thank to members of the WCBS for their support and faith in the WPBSA as we strengthen our presence as one of the world's major sports."

Snooker, generally regarded as having been invented in India by British Army officers, is popular in many of the English-speaking and Commonwealth countries, and increasingly China.

The current World Championships are being held in Sheffield, where China's Ding Junhui has reached the quarter-finals.

"I believe that one day snooker will be an Olympic sport," said Ferguson.

"Many sports receive substantial funding from the IOC to assist growth and increase participation.

"I''m very excited about what the future holds for snooker and the potential to pave a new way ahead."

The earliest snooker can appear in the Olympics is in 2024 as the current process to choose a sport for 2020 is approaching its climax, with baseball-softball, karate, roller sports sport climbing, squash, wakeboarding and wushu all campaigning for inclusion, although wrestling may retain its place having been recommended for exclusion from the core programme after Rio 2016.

But there is optimism that snooker can be successful.

"We are delighted to be working hand in hand with the WPBSA and this has given snooker at both professional and amateur levels the opportunity to strive for greater things," said Jim Leacy, President of the IBSF.

Insidethegames

[Fox334]

Isn't Snooker a British-dominated sport with some Chinese players that nobody watches outside the British Isles? Apparently there are only three world champions ever not to come out of the UK or Ireland: two from Australia and one from Canada. This looks like Table Tennis but less international.

[Rob2012]

Yep, mostly British players dominate the rankings and as you say, some Chinese (though the sport is massive in China now and the dominance could swing their way in the next decade). It's not international enough to be in the Olympics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_OKAD0d4Hw

[Athensfan]

Table tennis is predominantly Asian. Kayaking is mainly European. Fencing is dominated by Europeans. Distance running is dominated by Africans.

Should all those sports be eliminated too?

I think baseball's biggest problem is white elephant facilities. It is reasonable to exclude baseball for practical and financial reasons. However, I think there is no question that baseball is sufficiently international to have a place in the Olympics.

[intoronto]

Table tennis is predominantly Asian. Kayaking is mainly European. Fencing is dominated by Europeans. Distance running is dominated by Africans.

Should all those sports be eliminated too?

I think baseball's biggest problem is white elephant facilities. It is reasonable to exclude baseball for practical and financial reasons. However, I think there is no question that baseball is sufficiently international to have a place in the Olympics.

But Table Tennis is dominated by China mostly. The others have countries that win medals from other countries and continents as well.

[Athensfan]

But Table Tennis is dominated by China mostly. The others have countries that win medals from other countries and continents as well.

Ok but the same is true of baseball and softball.

Substitute badminton for table tennis if you like.

[zekekelso]

I think baseball's biggest problem is white elephant facilities. It is reasonable to exclude baseball for practical and financial reasons. However, I think there is no question that baseball is sufficiently international to have a place in the Olympics.

"Bat Sports" has many problems... but legacy venues isn't one of them. Cities need little more than a field and either temporary stands or stands that can be easily converted to other uses. If you look at recent host cities, none are stuck with white elephant baseball venues.

[ofan]

"Bat Sports" has many problems... but legacy venues isn't one of them. Cities need little more than a field and either temporary stands or stands that can be easily converted to other uses. If you look at recent host cities, none are stuck with white elephant baseball venues.

Beijin's venue is a white elephant. Although, tbh so are 90% of Beijing's venues.

[intoronto]

Beijin's venue is a white elephant. Although, tbh so are 90% of Beijing's venues.

Beijing's doesn't exist anymore. It was demolished after the games.

[ofan]

Beijing's doesn't exist anymore. It was demolished after the games.

My mistake. But the softball stadiums still sit there, with the grass dead and diamond fading, and bleachers still standing.

[Texas]

Beijing's doesn't exist anymore. It was demolished after the games.

odd, I could have sworn that the Bird's Nest will be the home venue for the 2015 IAAF World Championships.

Oh you meant the baseball stadium.

[gotosy]

ICC annual conference 2014

India, England not in favour of cricket at Olympics

Cricket at the summer Olympics is likely to remain a distant dream, not only because India and England are leading the opposition against the idea, but also due to the financial and commercial implications of it for all members of the ICC.

Cricket is one of 33 sports recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) which, it is understood, has "encouraged" the ICC to apply for the inclusion of a Twenty20 event in the Olympics, featuring up to 12 teams, both men and women. The IOC will take a decision in 2017 on which new sports to add to the existing roster for the 2024 Olympics, following an evaluation period that begins in 2015.

At last year's annual conference in London, the ICC executive board was presented a report "on the benefits and drawbacks of cricket's potential involvement in the Olympics". The board deferred its decision to next week's annual conference, even while deciding to first forward the report to the Associates and Affliliates (A&A) - they were asked to deliberate on the matter during the A&A meeting scheduled for Tuesday. It is understood that Neil Speight, the chairman of the A&A, who sits as one of the directors on the ICC board, felt it was important for A&A countries to study the report.

Cricket at the Olympics has always received a firm nod from the A&A countries and the report confirmed that view. "[The inclusion] has proved highly popular with the majority of Associate and Affiliate members, yet it also creates significant problems for prominent Full Members," it said. Based on a survey conducted in 2008, 90% of the ICC's members supported the idea, with a few reservations.

Jon Long, ICC's head of strategic management and support services, who prepared the report, pointed out that his findings were based "predominantly from the economic perspective". According to the report, if cricket were to be part of the 2024 Olympics it would receive a "projected" dividend of US $15-20 million from the IOC. All ICC members would receive both government and national Olympics committee support of "several million dollars" per year, in addition to an estimated $4-6 million annually from the Olympic Solidarity funding. The ICC also stood to earn "increased incomes" from A&A member countries for ICC-event media rights. The inclusion would also be a boost for women's cricket, which the report said could enhance its profile globally.

The report also pointed out potential drawbacks, both direct and indirect, which Long felt made the decision a very difficult one for the ICC. One of the biggest impediments was whether the ICC was willing to stage the World T20 every four years, instead of following the current two-year cycle. Last year, the ICC decided that the men's World T20 would be held once every four years starting 2016, in line with its goal of having one pinnacle tournament for every format of the game over a four-year period.

"The impact of an Olympic cricket tournament will depend to a large extent on the frequency with which the ICC World T20 is staged in the future," the report said. "If the plan is to stage the World T20 every two years then, in all likelihood, an Olympic cricket tournament would have to replace one of these competitions in the future. If the plan is to target a four-year cycle for the World T20, then the ICC events calendar could potentially be rearranged to accommodate the Olympic T20 event every four years."

A related consequence was lower financial returns as the report pointed out the revenue from the Olympics event would "not come close to offsetting" the projected revenues from a World T20. "By way of direct comparison, member distributions (after costs) from the ICC World T20 in 2012 were US$85.5m, whereas the distribution to a lower-ranked international federation from London 2012 was only US$14m," the report said.

One of the other big obstacles was the Olympics clashing with the cricketing seasons of various Full Members - this was the ECB's main point of contention. "In the England and Wales Cricket Board's, the potential for a clash occurs every four years. Indeed, the ECB has estimated that an Olympic Games in the first half of August could see it lose an entire four-match Test series which would, based on its current valuations, cause cricket in England and Wales to miss out on revenues of US$130 million and would - based on the knock-on effects in other years - require compensation of approximately US$ 160 million," the report stated.

This problem was England's alone, the report indicated, considering other Full Members like Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe hosted bilateral tournaments during the summer months.

In India's case, the reported pointed out the main issue was to do with "member autonomy", something the BCCI was reluctant to give up. "This has previously been raised as a critical issue by the BCCI and no decision to proceed could be made without a satisfactory resolution of this matter," the report said.

The report stated that having an additional T20 event could also harm the cricketing ecosystem at a time when the ICC has been striving hard to maintain a balance between three formats of the game. "There is already a trend emerging of more T20 matches being scheduled in the months leading up to an ICC World T20 event, and an Olympic competition could inspire a similar increase in the number of T20 international matches. The introduction of this event should be considered in the wider context of other strategic issues including the balance between the three international formats, player workloads and domestic leagues," the report said.

The report concluded by stating recent entrants to the Olympics fold, like rugby7s and golf, had done it on "emotion and instinct" whereas the ICC was more keen on embracing an "evidence-based" approach. "One certainty is that cricket undoubtedly has the capacity to thrive as a sport with or without the Olympic Games. The manner in which it will grow, however, will depend on the strategic decisions that are taken by the ICC board. A judgment on whether or not to pursue inclusion in the Olympic Games is arguably one of the biggest strategic decisions it will face."

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/story/754429.html