Breakdancing is set to feature at the 2024 Paris Olympics after a shock announcement by organisers. Photo / Getty Images.
Breakdancing is set to feature at the 2024 Paris Olympics after a shock announcement by organisers. Photo / Getty Images.
Breakdancing is set to feature at the 2024 Paris Olympics after a shock announcement by organisers which deals another blow to hopes that squash would be included.
The acrobatic style of street dance, typically set to hip-hop or funk music has never been considered before for an Olympics. It is now set for inclusion alongside climbing, skateboarding and surfing, which are already confirmed for Tokyo 2020.
The four sports are all set to feature pending final approval from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Explaining the decision to include breakdancing, Paris 2024 said it was an "urban, universal and popular sport with more than a million BBoys and BGirls in France".
"We propose to bring the breakdance and its famous battles at the Paris 2024 Games for the first time in the history of the Games," organisers added.
FILE - In this file picture taken with a long time exposure on March 12, 2017, Jannis Bednarzik performs during the German Breakdance Championships in Magdeburg, Germany. Photo / AP
Local organisers must submit the recommended list to the IOC which will make a decision in December 2020, following the Tokyo Games.
The four extra sports come on top of the 28 sports already on the programme. Squash has been repeatedly rebuffed, despite its huge popularity in the UK.
Responding to the announcement, the head of England Squash told Telegraph Sport it was "heartbreaking" for the sport's young talent.
"England Squash are extremely disappointed to hear that squash looks set to miss out on inclusion in the Paris 2024 Olympic programme," said Keir Worth, chief executive of England Squash. "It is particularly heartbreaking for the talented young players from around the world that will miss out on the chance to showcase their talent, hard-work and athleticism on the biggest stage in sport."
The body said over 1.2million people play squash each year in England and "we have male and female players of all ages competing and winning on the world stage, from juniors up to the professional world tour".
Worth added: "The opportunity to be included in the Olympics would undoubtedly be a huge boost to the sport, until then we will remain focused on working with the Professional Squash Association and the World Squash Federation to develop the game at every level both at home and around the world."
Breakdancing appeared at last year's Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, in the form of "battles" -- or duels -- decided by judges, and falls under the auspices of the World Dance Sport Federations (WDSF).
The IOC and OCOG have already said the number of participating athletes will be capped at 10,500, a reduction from the Tokyo maximum, for the 2024 Games, limiting the hopes of team sports. Local organisers also suggested the need for the construction of new permanent venues would likely count against sports pushing to be included.
The IOC said in a statement that it welcomed Paris 2024's efforts to reach a younger audience. "We are pleased to see that Paris 2024's proposal for new sports to the Olympic programme is very much in line with the reforms of Olympic Agenda 2020, which is striving to make the Olympic programme gender-balanced, more youth-focused and more urban," the statement said.
"The Olympic Programme Commission will now review this proposal and will make a recommendation to the IOC Executive Board, while the final decision will be taken by an IOC Session."
The British Olympic Association did not send a team to compete at breakdancing at the recent Youth Games, but said it welcomed the addition of new sports for Paris 2024.
"We look forward to welcoming all new sports into the Olympic Games and will work with the relevant bodies to develop our relationships at the appropriate time," a statement said. "Although we did not compete in what was an invitational event at the recent Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, we did witness the popularity of breakdancing amongst fans there."
