Let's go. The IOC gave the three shots, this Thursday, May 16, of its new creation, supposed to bring a facelift to the Olympic movement: the “ Olympic Qualifier Series. The first edition of this unique kind of competition began in Shanghai. It should last four days. It will be followed next month by a second part, with an identical format and definition. It will take place from June 20 to 23 in Budapest.
New, then. In every sense of the word. Never, in fact, has the IOC brought together several sports in the same place to distribute places in the Olympic Games. Never, either, has the body replaced the international federations – and brought the Olympic rings – to a qualifying competition for the Games.
In Shanghai this week, then in Budapest next month, this first edition of the “ Olympic Qualifier Series » brings together four urban sports or disciplines: climbing, breaking, skateboarding and BMX freestyle. It brings together more than 450 athletes, from 120 national federations and entered by 55 national Olympic committees. The cast includes 80 Olympians present at the Tokyo 2020 Games, including 18 medalists. At stake are more than 150 places for the Paris 2024 Games.
The concept is new, but the IOC speaks of it as obvious. Kit McConnell, the athletic director, explained it during a round table with some media: “ The four sports fit together really well in terms of the field of play. And they fit together culturally too, with a very community atmosphere, but also individual expression, plus the music and culture that goes with it."
An evidence. But, cautiously, the IOC is careful not to announce that the concept will be broadened during the next Olympics, or even extended to other sports or disciplines. Kit McConnell insists: Olympic qualifications remain, and will remain, in the hands of the international federations. The IOC does not intend to take ownership of the organization. It just wants to give them a new lease of life, with better promotion, particularly on the digital level.
« What we're trying to do is find ways to allow the federations to have their commercial partners and their different competition hosts, but by helping them promote the Olympic qualifying events, give them more scale to that people know them and follow them better, continues Kit McConnell. The federations, the host cities, the athletes, the national Olympic committees… everyone will be a winner. »
The message is clear: the IOC will not take control of the Olympic qualifications, but will bring its know-how, its resources and, anything but anecdotal, its Olympic rings, to give them a boost and put them in more light. But if for urban sports the stage is already set with the “ Olympic Qualifier Series”, for others the landscape remains vague.
The only certainty: the next edition of the OQS will not include breaking, whose Olympic experience is currently reduced to the Paris 2024 Games. Not selected for Los Angeles 2028, the discipline will give up its place, unlike the climbing, skateboarding and freestyle BMX. Who will replace it ? “Many international federations are interested”, replied Kit McConnell. Squash, in particular, could make a good candidate.
The Winter Games? Kit McConnel explained: “ To be clear, we are not necessarily considering the establishment of Olympic qualification series for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Games. But we are really looking to promote the journey towards these Games, to highlight and highlight the large number of events in all winter disciplines which will take place over the next two seasons. »
