5 July 2011
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), meeting in Durban, has added more youthful and entertaining events to the 2014 Winter Olympics to be held in Sochi, Russia.
The IOC said on Monday that ski slopestyle, snowboard slopestyle and snowboard parallel special slalom would be included in the sports programme at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Men and women would compete in all these events.
The decision was taken by the IOC executive board ahead of the 123rd IOC Session that kicked off on Monday, and follows the inclusion in April of ski halfpipe (men and women), women’s ski jumping, biathlon mixed relay, figure skating team event and luge team relay.
“We are very pleased with the addition of ski and snowboard slopestyle and snowboard special slalom in the Olympic Winter Games programme,” IOC President Jacques Rogge said during a press briefing at Durban’s International Convention Centre.
“Such events provide great entertainment for the spectators and add further youthful appeal to our already action-packed line-up of Olympic winter sports. We look forward to welcoming all the athletes to Sochi in 2014.”
The Olympic Programme Commission (OPC) initially proposed the inclusion of the events in Acapulco in October last year.
The OPC studied the proposal of the individual International Sports Federations and compiled a detailed analysis of all candidate events at their respective world championships last winter.
The decision was also based on an operational feasibility study undertaken by the organisers of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games.
The executive board also agreed on a shortlist of sports that would be considered for inclusion in the 2020 Olympiad sports programme.
These sports include, baseball, karate, roller sports, softball, sports climbing, squash, wakeboard and wushu – one of which could be added to the 2020 programme. Voting will take place at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires in 2013.
The programme can include a maximum of 28 sports.
Source: BuaNews