(ATR) It’s presentation day for the seven shortlisted sports bidding to join the 2020 Olympics.
After a series of inspection visits to major championships throughout 2012, members of the IOC Program Commission hear from the federations Wednesday at the Palace Hotel in Lausanne.
Baseball/softball, karate, roller sports, sport climbing, squash, wakeboard and wushu are the contenders for what will most likely be just one open spot in the Games.
Business begins bright and early with the newly formed World Baseball Softball Confederation kicking off the schedule at 8:15 a.m. The rest will follow in alphabetical order, based on the names of the sports.
Each candidate is allotted a total of 45 minutes, but may spend no more than 20 minutes speaking to make time for a 10-minute Q&A.
Sports may bring no more than six presenters into the room and will rely heavily upon their remarks. With the exception of videos and PowerPoints, that’s about all they’re allowed – no backdrops, props, handouts or gifts of any kind.
In addition to federation presidents and secretaries general, top athletes will also play a part. James Willstrop of England and Reyna Pacheco of Mexico were revealed Monday as part of squash’s delegation, while other sports are saving theirs for a surprise.
The Road Ahead
Once wushu makes its exit Wednesday at 3:30 p.m., the debrief process begins for members of the Program Commission.
Chairman Franco Carraro will run the show with Kate Caithness, Guido De Bondt, Michael Fennell, Frank Fredericks, Ron Froehlich, Nat Indrapana, Lingwei Li, Gunilla Lindberg, Sam Ramsamy, Craig Reedie, Andrew Ryan and Walter Sieber as support and Christophe Dubi as the director in charge.
They are tasked with delivering a report in January that will inform members of the IOC Executive Board on which existing sport to cut from the Summer Games – and which to add in its place, at least for 2020 and 2024.
The first decision comes Feb. 12-13 in Lausanne, the second May 26-31 in St. Petersburg.
In both cases, the Executive Board will only be making recommendations to the 2013 IOC Session in Buenos Aires, but if past proposals are any indication, the word of the EB usually goes.
Written by Matthew Grayson.
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