(Reuters) – Breakdancing, surfing, skateboarding and sports climbing won a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics when the International Olympic Committee ratified their inclusion on Monday, IOC President Thomas Bach said.
The Paris 2024 organising committee had last year proposed the four sports for inclusion and was waiting on a final review by the IOC’s Executive Board.
Surfing, climbing and skateboarding are already part of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, having by proposed along with karate by the Japanese hosts.
Paris Games organisers have said they want to deliver a programme that is in keeping with the times and will attract a new and younger audience.
Under new IOC rules first introduced for the Tokyo Games, Olympic host cities can hand-pick sports and propose them for inclusion in those Games if they are popular in that country and add to the Games’ appeal.
The IOC is desperate to refresh the Games’ sports programme to remain relevant to sponsors, broadcasters and younger fans.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; editing by Clare Fallon)
