
Wrestling has been reinstated as an Olympic sport for the 2020 and 2024 Games after being voted in ahead of baseball/softball and squash.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) members conducted a secret electronic ballot on the issue in Buenos Aires.
Wrestling had been dropped from the 2020 Olympic programme in February after the IOC assessed the performance of all 26 sports at London 2012.
Wrestling - which was the favourite - received a majority of 49 votes, while a combined baseball/softball bid got 24 votes and squash 22.On Saturday, the organisation's 125th session awarded Tokyo the 2020 Games.
The sport - one of the original disciplines at the Ancient Olympics - had been due to end its Olympic participation at Rio 2016 following its dismissal by the IOC earlier this year.
Members of amateur wrestling's world governing body, the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (Fila), gave a roar when the result was announced by IOC president Jacques Rogge.
Its triumph follows a number of sweeping reforms made following its exclusion.
Fila president, Nenad Lalovic, said it was a decision the IOC would not regret: "With this vote, you have shown that the steps we have taken to improve our sport have made a difference.
"I assure each of you that our modernisation will not stop now. We will continue to strive to be the best partner to the Olympic Movement that we can be.
"To the millions of wrestlers, supporters and fans around the world that came together to save Olympic wrestling; I offer a very big thank you."
Spearheaded by Lalovic, the sport has recently overhauled its rules, administration, gender equality and operations.
Earlier on Sunday, he had declared during wrestling's presentation to IOC members: "Today is the most important day in the 3,000-year history of our sport."
Wrestling, which combines freestyle and Greco-Roman events, was included in the inaugural modern Olympics in Athens in 1896.
It has been in every Games since, apart from Paris in 1900. At London 2012, it featured 344 athletes competing in 11 medal events.
The IOC session culminates on Tuesday with the election of a new president to replace Rogge, who is retiring from the role after 12 years.
0 comments:
Post a Comment