The IOC has sorted it out. Friday June 9, its executive board blew the dust off the Olympic program. It was time. The result leaves no one indifferent. And for good reason, since the changes decided at the Lausanne meeting concern 15 international federations. A revolution, nothing less.
In Tokyo, at the 2020 Games, the program of events will give pride of place to women (48,8% of participants). It will make great room for diversity. It will get a serious facelift, with the entry of BMX freestyle and 3×3 basketball. He will cut through the fat, to reduce the number of athletes present at the Games by 285. At the same time, a feat of Olympism, it will make even more people happy by adding 15 medal events. More with less, in short. Very strong.
When the time comes to take stock, the reform of the program has its share of satisfaction. But it also records a handful of victims. Logic.
The winners
- Basketball. FIBA can rub its hands, it succeeded perfectly. With 64 new athletes, basketball is not only the only sport to gain in numbers. It also appears to be the first beneficiary of the new program, with the entry of an entire discipline, 3×3. According to the IOC, it is supposed to bring a more “young and urban” image to the Games. " Without a doubt. LeBron James has already admitted that he was not a priori interested, but even without the presence of big names from the NBA, the 3x3 tournament promises to be one of the curiosities of the Tokyo 2020 Games.
- Swimming. Its presence will be less significant, with a quota of athletes reduced by 22 units. But FINA nevertheless slips into the camp of the winners of the reform. With the entry of the men's 800m and women's 1500m, men and women will compete in the same events for the first time in the history of the Games. The American Katie Ledecky could benefit, with the potential of 6 gold medals in her sights.
- Cycling. Brian Cookson, the president of the UCI, succeeded in his bet. Through a subtle transfer game, cycling has won new events (BMX freestyle, Madison), without having to sacrifice a single one. In terms of number of riders, its participation remains equal to that of the Rio 2016 Games. Comment from Brian Cookson: “I am delighted to see four additional cycling events included in the Olympic programme. With 22 gold medals now up for grabs, cycling becomes the third most important sport in terms of Olympic titles. »
- Rugby and golf. A ricochet victory for the two new entrants to the Rio 2016 Games. The meeting of the IOC Executive Board did not concern them a priori, but its members decided, against all expectations, to extend the lease of golf and rugby to 7. Both disciplines are guaranteed to participate in the Summer Games in 2024, whether they take place in Los Angeles or Paris. Initially, their presence was only guaranteed until 2020. A relief for golf, whose absence of several big names at the Rio Games seemed to threaten the Olympic future.
Losers
- Athleticism. It remains the leading Olympic sport in terms of numbers, but its share of the pie has been seriously eroded by the IOC Executive Board. At the Tokyo Games, the number of athletes will be reduced by 105. Athletics alone therefore contributes more than a third to the reduction in all quotas for the 2020 Games. The IAAF He did not hide his disappointment when the program was announced, pointing out his obligation to review the qualification criteria for the next Games. Small consolation: the entry into a mixed event, a 4x400m relay (photo above), already present at the World Relay Championships.
- Weightlifting. Dark cut for the most controversial of Olympic sports. He is cut an entire weight category, for a total of 64 lifters less. Brutal. But the worst is perhaps to come: Thomas Bach announced Friday June 9 in Lausanne that the international federation (IWF) should present a serious and credible anti-doping plan by next December at the latest. Otherwise, weightlifting could simply disappear from the Tokyo Games program.
- Wrestling, shooting and sailing. At the time of the rumors, these three sports did not seem the most threatened. At the time of the accounts, they look gloomy. Wrestling sees its quota of athletes reduced by 56 places. Shooting and sailing each lost around thirty. All three disciplines will achieve gender parity at the Tokyo Games.
