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8 July 2005, 09:34 am

Sailing Receives IOC Support

2012 Olympic Programme

The 117th IOC Session in Singapore voted today to include 26 of the 28 current Olympic sports on the programme of the Games of the XXX Olympiad in 2012. The Session decided that baseball and softball will remain on the list of Olympic sports as noted in the Olympic Charter, rule 46, but will not be on the programme for 2012.

The two sports are, however, eligible for inclusion in the programme of the 2016 Games. Sailing received the support of the IOC and will remain on the Olympic Programme for 2012. The move by the IOC is the first time since 1936, when polo was dropped from the Programme, that a sport has been cut from the Olympics.

Speaking after the annoucement, ISAF President Göran PETERSSON commented, 'I am of course very pleased for sailing. Sailing is a global sport and the participation and number of nations achieving medals in the Olympic Sailing Competition reflects the global spread. However, sailing must continue to enhance itself as an Olympic sport.'

In four years' time, the IOC will again review the sports on the Olympic Programme for the 2016 Olympic Games.

After the initial vote to determine the sports remaining on the Olympic programme, the IOC Executive Board reconvened to decide whether any of the five candidate sports (Roller Sports, World Squash, Golf, Karate or Rugby) should be put forward to the Session, who will then vote on whether the sport(s) could be added to the list of Olympic sports and then potentially be included on the programme of the 2012 Games. World Squash and Karate were shortlisted for consideration on the 2012 Programme, but when it came to the final vote to include the sports neither received the required 75% votes. Therefore the Sports Programme for the 2012 Programme will consist of 26 sports.

Sailing has been on the Olympic Programme since 1900, and is one of the oldest sports in the Olympic movement.

ISAF (Source: IOC)