Olympics: Skateboarding, climbing, surfing proposed for 2028 Games

GENEVA. KAZINFORM - Skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing, which made their Olympic debuts in Tokyo, are slated to remain on the program through the 2028 Los Angeles Games, the International Olympic Committee said Thursday, Kyodo reports.

The IOC decided to include the youth-focused sports in the list of 28 sports to be submitted for approval at the upcoming IOC general meeting in February in Beijing, acknowledging their popularity and success at the Tokyo Games.

«The proposed inclusion of these sports is based on their significant contribution to the overall success of the Tokyo Games, their commitment to innovation and the partnership expressed by the LA28 Organizing Committee,» IOC President Thomas Bach said.

«We are recognizing the deep roots each of these sports has in California.»

More sports could be added at the second meeting in 2023.

Bach suggested boxing, weightlifting and modern pentathlon could all be dropped from the Los Angeles Olympics unless reforms are made.

The events and athlete quota for each sport will be decided in December 2024, following the 2024 Paris Games, the IOC said.

Japan won five medals, including three golds, in skateboarding at the Tokyo Olympics this summer, as well as two medals each in sport climbing and surfing.