The IOC was very busy today. They formally proposed the 2024-28 joint awarding to LA and Paris, which will be rubber-stamped next month. More on that at another time.
They also finalized the program for the 2020 Games in Tokyo. When they announced they were going through this process, a lot of sports made their requests public. And there were a lot of requests made by virtually every international federation. There was no chance the IOC was going to approve them all. The only real questions were how many? and which ones?
Well, the answer to those questions are 15 events in nine sports. There were also a few sports that kept the same number of events, but changed what those events were. Rowing, boxing and canoe/kayak took away men's events to add women's events, while shooting turned three men's events into mixed team events, and sailing changed the boat type for one event. Weightlifting (which has the biggest doping problem of any sport, including track & field) was the only sport to see its program reduced, as one men's weight class was dropped.
Of the proposed events that were rejected, I'm most surprised about diving. They wanted to add high diving, as well as mixed synchro events. I get why the IOC didn't want to add high diving, where finding a venue might be difficult. But, with this emphasis on mixed events, I though the two mixed synchro events were virtual locks to be added. They're being held for the first time at the World Championships this year, and I'm actually pretty psyched. Maybe if they prove popular, it won't be too long until mixed synchronized diving is a part of the Olympics.
Most of the new events are mixed team events, which the IOC made it very clear they wanted. The good thing about mixed team events is that they don't add any extra athletes, which is part of the reason the IOC likes them so much. With that in mind, the addition of mixed team events in archery and judo, as well as a mixed team relay in triathlon and mixed doubles in table tennis aren't that surprising. I don't see any issue with any of these events (although I am a little confused how the judo mixed team event is going to work).
Cycling had the most events added--four. We knew there were going to be at least two more cycling events, which was a concession the IOC gave the cycling federation for moving the velodrome from Tokyo to Izu, 75 miles away. But they also added men's and women's freestyle park BMX events, presumably to appeal to the younger generation that the IOC is so desperate to attract. They could either use the same venue as the regular BMX event or the skateboarding course, so there's no new venue. I'm just not sure if you need four BMX events.
Fencing also had a men's and women's team event added to its program. This makes complete sense and actually should've been done a long time ago. There are three weapons in fencing--foil, epee and sabre, but the sport was only allotted 10 medal events in the Olympics. As a result, they rotated which of the three wouldn't have a team event for the men and which wouldn't have a team event for the women. Now, with 12 gold medals available, there will be men's and women's individual and team events in each of the three swords. I can't see why anybody would have a problem with that.
Swimming is where it starts to get interesting. FINA requested a ridiculous number of events, probably knowing they wouldn't get them all. They wanted eight, which would've aligned the World Championships and Olympic programs. They got three. Two are individual events--the men's 800 meter freestyle and the women's 1500 meter freestyle. It never really made much sense to anybody why the men only swam the 1500 and the women only swam the 800 in the Olympics when both distance events are in the World Championships. Evidently the IOC now agrees (the fact that the 1500 freestyle is another likely Katie Ledecky gold medal probably helped, too).
There are also two mixed relays in the Swimming World Championships--the 4x100 freestyle and the 4x100 medley. Well, the mixed medley relay is now a part of the Olympics, too. I wonder why they only added the one instead of both. Especially since the swimming competition is eight days long and that would've given them eight total relays. And this is one of the marquee sports, which makes the decision to add only the mixed medley relay a little bit of a surprise.
Also surprising is the addition of the mixed 4x400 relay in track & field--despite the fact that the event has never been contested at the World Championships (although it presumably will be at Doha 2019 now)! The IAAF doesn't seem too pleased by this, either, which is perhaps most interesting. I think that probably has more to do with the fact that the IOC added an event, but also told them to drop more than 100 athletes from their quota.
Based on what the IAAF has said, it gives the impression that they don't want to add the mixed 4x400. I'm not sure if this is a done deal, though. Regardless, the mixed 4x400 is a cool event. It made its debut as the finale at the World Relays in the Bahamas, and the Bahamas won it, sending the crowd into an absolute frenzy. It was the best atmosphere I've ever seen at that event. I'm sure it will add the same excitement to the Olympics. I'm just not sure it's necessary.
Speaking of new Olympic events that don't seem necessary, I present 3x3 basketball. This is a clear attempt on the IOC's part to grab those young people with no attention spans. FIBA touts the popularity of the 3x3 game and I think many in basketball (and Olympic) circles view it as basketball's answer to beach volleyball. (I'm pretty sure the bikinis have a lot to do with the popularity of beach volleyball, but I digress.)
Here's the thing about 3x3 basketball, though. It's not beach volleyball! Beach volleyball had its own massive following long before it was added to the Olympics. The IOC didn't try to force it in. Which is exactly what it feels like they're doing with 3x3 basketball. Do you need 3x3 and 5x5 versions of the same sport, no matter how different they might be? I'm not sure if you do.
However, the IOC found success with 3x3 basketball at the Youth Olympics, so they figured they'd give it a shot in the adult Olympics. Although, it must be pointed out, 3x3 is the only type of basketball contested at the Youth Olympics.
If they said the addition of 3x3 basketball was to give other nations that can't field a full team a chance to qualify in the sport, much in the same way nations that would never be able to compete in indoor volleyball have very successful beach teams, that would be one thing. But there's only going to be eight teams in each tournament, so you'd have to think those opportunities will be pretty limited. Especially since people will want to watch the United States and Australia and Spain. Not the Philippines and Indonesia.
I get why the IOC is doing this, and I applaud them for being forward-thinking. And, for the most part, these additions make perfect sense and aren't going to make any waves. I question 3x3 basketball, though. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like a stretch. Although, it does fit the mold of skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing, three youth-appealing extreme sports that will debut in 2020.
We'll just have to wait and see if these new events end up being big hits or massive failures. And I'm sure if changes need to be made, they'll make them before 2024. Now about those 2024 Games...
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