Surfing and breakdancing among four sports to win Paris 2024 Olympics spot

Thomas Bach
IOC President Thomas Bach.
Greg Martin/IOC/Handout via 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 organizing 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 organizers have said they want to deliver a program 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 program to remain relevant to sponsors, broadcasters, and younger fans.