IOC Announce New Sports For Sochi 2014

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed yesterday, July 4, that the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games would involve the inclusion of ski slopestyle (men and women), snowboard slopestyle (men and women) and snowboard parallel special slalom (men and women) on the sports programme.

The decision was taken by the IOC Executive Board (EB) and follows the inclusion of ski halfpipe (men and women), womenís ski jumping, biathlon mixed relay, figure skating team event and luge team relay in April of this year.

IOC President Jacques Rogge stated: ìWe are very pleased with the addition of ski and snowboard slopestyle and snowboard special slalom in the Olympic Winter Games programme. Such events provide great entertainment for the spectators and add further youthful appeal to our already action-packed lineup of Olympic winter sports. We look forward to welcoming all the athletes to Sochi in 2014.î

The EB also agreed on a shortlist of sports that will be considered for inclusion in the sports programme of the 2020 Olympiad, of which a host city has yet to be chosen. The sports are: baseball, karate, roller sports, softball, sports climbing, squash, wakeboard and wushu, one of which could be added to the 2020 sports programme to be voted on by the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires in 2013.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed yesterday, July 4, that the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games would involve the inclusion of ski slopestyle (men and women), snowboard slopestyle (men and women) and snowboard parallel special slalom (men and women) on the sports programme.

The decision was taken by the IOC Executive Board (EB) and follows the inclusion of ski halfpipe (men and women), women’s ski jumping, biathlon mixed relay, figure skating team event and luge team relay in April of this year.

IOC President Jacques Rogge stated: “We are very pleased with the addition of ski and snowboard slopestyle and snowboard special slalom in the Olympic Winter Games programme. Such events provide great entertainment for the spectators and add further youthful appeal to our already action-packed lineup of Olympic winter sports. We look forward to welcoming all the athletes to Sochi in 2014.”

The EB also agreed on a shortlist of sports that will be considered for inclusion in the sports programme of the 2020 Olympiad, of which a host city has yet to be chosen. The sports are: baseball, karate, roller sports, softball, sports climbing, squash, wakeboard and wushu, one of which could be added to the 2020 sports programme to be voted on by the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires in 2013.