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Skateboarding to make Olympic debut in 2012
Last updated at 10:56am on 08.06.07
Wheel appeal: a participant at a vert skateboarding event in Brighton. Olympic chiefs hope to interest younger people in the Games by adopting the sport
Skateboarding is almost certain to make its Olympic debut at the London Games.
Leaders of the Olympic movement are determined to help the sport qualify for the 2012 event in an attempt to broaden the Games' appeal to younger people.
The International Olympic Committee held talks with skateboard officials in Switzerland this week to agree a timetable for the sport's inclusion.
London Games organisers have already earmarked the cycling velodrome in the Olympic Park as a venue for the inaugural Olympic skateboarding event.
The competition would take place in the middle of the cycle circuit where organisers plan to erect several "half-pipes" on which skateboarders perform their stunts.
The chances of skateboarding being included in the Games roster were boosted by the successful introduction of another "youth" sport. Snowboarding made its debut at last year's Winter Olympics in Turin and provided some of the Games' most memorable moments and, crucially for the IOC, attracted encouraging TV ratings among 20- to 35-year-olds.
The drive towards a younger audience will continue at the Beijing Games next year with the debut of BMX biking.
This was introduced to the Games by the International Cycling Union, which is on the verge of adopting skateboarding as it is a "wheelbased"-sport. Olivier Quéguiner, the union's director of sport, said: "We are doing our best to introduce skateboarding for 2012. We have a clear strategy and we would like to follow the request of [IOC president] Jacques Rogge.
"The venue could be wonderful. All we need now is the green light from the IOC.
"Technically, logistically and in terms of cost it would not be a problem to stage the event in 2012."
The union's annual meeting later this year is expected to vote for skateboarding to become one of its "disciplines".
That decisionwould then have to be backed by the IOC's programme review commission prior to approval by the executive board, which typically backs the president's wishes.
This schedule leaves plenty of time to meet the 2009 deadline for inclusion in the London Olympics.
Skateboarding originated as " sidewalk surfing" in America in the Fifties and was especially popular with surfers in California.
Its popularity has grown rapidly and there are now around 13 million devotees worldwide, including 600,000 in Britain. The US continues to dominate the sport and the UK lags behind France and Scandinavian countries, where skateboarding forms part of the school curriculum.
Britain has about 600 skate parks, 100 of them in London, although aficionados complain that many of these are badly designed and dangerous. Cantalows in Camden and Whites Grounds in Southwark - the country's only dedicated indoor skate facility - are exceptions.
Skateboarding would be the envy of numerous other sports vying for Olympics status, which can provide a huge boost to grassroots participation and revenues.
Two years ago, rugby and golf both failed in their attempts to become part of the 2012 event. At the same time, the IOC cut baseball and softball from the roster.
The event most likely to be included in London is vert skating, which originated when skateboarders used disused swimming pools. Participants are awarded points for tricks and style.
Reader views (22)
I'd love to see skateboarding as a olympic sport, seeing as I will be watching my brother swim at the 2012 olympics, I wouldnt miss the skateboarding event for the world!
And in response to Tom Johnson, of course they wont know what a fakie tre to krook will be, but thats because that is a street-skating move. And if you had read the article carefully, only a couple of HALF-PIPES are being erected in the middle of the velodrome. Which means no street skating, purely vert skating. Now of course people wont know what a Stiffy 360 to fakie would be but that doesnt matter, in diving people might not know what some of the terms are in there. Which just means that it's a new area for people to learn about.
I personally would love this to happen - just to see my favorite sport on the big screen being watched by thousands, if not millions, of people at the same time!
- Cameron W-H, UK
I don't want the IOC to back skateboarding. I've been skating for around 10 years now and I don't think this will do anything for it.
It's not a great competition sport and people who don't skateboard will find it very hard to follow.
For example, if you didn't skate would you know what a 'Switch tres krookz down the kinked rail' was? Or why that would get you more points than a 'fakie tres krookz'?
It's a lifestyle sport. The reason I started skating is because I enjoy the freedom and individuality of it. No pressure to win anything and nothing to prove to anyone. It's just you and your friends having fun.
I for one do not want skateboarding exploited and transformed to fit into the Olympic program. I feel that Olympic involvement will change the face of skateboarding and its individuality and freedoms forever. I also don't think it will in any way support skateboarders or skateparks.
- Tom Johnson, London, UK
Id love to see skateboarding in the Olympics and i think it would definatly help people see and recognize why so many youngsters like myself love the sport so much, okay it has its down sides with injuries being quiet the pain but what sport doesn't involve its own pain? in some way or another...
the UK should really invest into skateboarding a little more as it is a rapidly growing sport here with a lot of participants, if it keeps growing at the rate it is there will eventually be a lot of people for the council to deal with, example in Plymouth there is only ONE skate park which is nowhere near big enough for the amount of skaters we have here, the park is usually packed with BMX's Bladers(roller blades) and skateboarders, at times you dont even get a chance to skate the small park cause of how many people there are, as for extensions and building new parks they've all been a myth... if the sport was introduced to the Olympics kids of futre generations and older ones the current and past will have more places to go to do the sport they love instead of idling on streets causing trouble like the minor degenerates i.e (chavs)
- Ben Welsh, Plymouth, UK
As transportations are way over priced ( Buses, Trains, etc ) I skateboard everywhere it comes at no cost and is a great way to get around.
Skateboarding is a sport and should be recognized in the UK! maybe if they brought it in, the publicity would stop police stopping us for doing a sport we love.
- Tom Cahill, Preston, UK
In my city skating boarding, is widely excepted as a form of transportation. With designated skate routes through out the city, and a long and growing list of skate parks in the city (19 presently open in Portland) and around the state. I think skating should be an Olympic sport. To deny skating a sport widely practised and participated in by kids and adults of all social backgrounds a spot in the Olympics would be a real shame, because the Olympics are about bringing people together.
My only gripe about the skate parks in my city is, there is no lighting at any of the parks for skating after dark. While the lights blaze at unused tennis court through the city (try skating on them and you'll get a ticket). Why do skaters have to go home at dark and tennis player don't? If security is an issue, wouldn't it be better to have lighting in the parks? Maybe if the parks had lighting they wouldn't get tagged by graffiti.
Adding skating to the Olympics is a must, I am 37 years, I have been skating for over twenty years off and on, and to all those signing the petition to block skating from the Olympics because they don't want to see the sport, "sell out" stop being a stick in the mud.
The sport is "sold out" at every major skating event around the world, it's time that skaters with truly exceptional skills be recognized for their amazing and daring skills. If BMX is an Olympic sport, you have to make room at the table for skaters as well.
Peace
- James Yarger, Portland, Oregon, USA
Skateboarding should definitely be able to enter the Olympics. It will make it much more fun to watch than the boring sport like rowing and table tennis. Skating is the bomb[which means the best].
- Alex Jacobson, Tasmania Blackmans bay
I think if skating does get into the Olympics it will raise awareness of the sport and highlight the fact that skateboarding is not a crime! It will be good publicity for skateboarding as a whole but in particular the UK skate scene. Maybe if the idea that skateboarding is a sport not just a kiddies activity gets into peoples heads then we can get some proper skate parks! Like the Stokeplaza in Stoke on Trent that's the only decent park in the UK the rest are badly designed dangerous and too small! It's about time skaters got a break!
- Ryan, Derby, England.
I've been waiting for skateboarding to be an Olympic sport for a while I just hope its handled well and made about the skateboarders and a way to put more money into skateboarding to build new parks around the UK and the rest of the world. I just hope there not doing it to make more money for the Olympics and just using the skaters for that.
- Hannah Stevenson, England
Skateboarding would make the Olympics a complete package. The riders on that level of competition should be given the chance to taste the global influence that the games have on all walks of life.
- Dave Millner, Abilene Kansas, U.S.A
Giving people the opportunity to choose what type of skateboarding they want to persue should not be taken away from them. I hear people say that the IOC is in it for the money. I own a sport's camp and the more money I make, the more I can give back to my sport. Take a look at all the potential money made by skateboard companies. We have shoe companies, magazines, production companies, camps, skate parks, skateboard companies and much more. I assure you that they give back to skateboarders in some way.
I actually read an article by a magazine writer who was trying to get people to sign a petition to keep skateboarding out of the Olympics. Let me put it a different way. He was trying to stop all young children and all our U.S. skateboarders from having the opportunity to be Olympians.
Here is what I see. The Olympics will not force anyone to persue the Olympic dream but will give those interested the opportunity. Young children with an Olympic dream isn't for every skateboarder but we should have open minds and think about what positive possibilities may come from having Skateboarding in the Olympics. Think about possible college skateboard teams and scholarship aid. Look at the many NCAA scholarships that are given out to people who can't afford to go to college. Maybe one day someone will get a journalism scholarship, graduate and start a skateboarding magazine that more parents will allow their chidren to read.
- Mike Jacobson, Tequesta FL USA
This could have both good and bad impacts on skateboarding and it's community. If the IOC handle this well, it could help to raise awareness and make people more tolerant and less hostile towards skateboarders - street skaters in particular who are badgered by awkward security guards and community officers on a daily basis. It's important that skaters are deeply involved in planning and organisation, and that their hobby isn't hi-jacked by the men in black suits.
- Gelly, York, England
Please don't rape skateboarding by adding it to the olympics, the only reason the ioc wants skateboarding is money. Skateboarding doesn't want to be part of the games and already has it's own world governing body that is being overlooked by people who have no connection to skateboarding what so ever. Skateboarding is a lifestlye/artform way before you can consider it a sport. 96% of the skateparks in london are a very expensive unfunny joke, designed/commisioned/built by people with no knowledge of skateboarding.
- Mr A. Chinn, London
Slalom Racing is a definative sport and the winners are chosen by timed runs rather than judged, leaving the results unquestionable! Be sure and include racing in the program!
- Dave Gale, West virginia U.S.A
Skateboard slalom racing is an international sport.
- Paul Price, London, UK
Great to see skateboarding under consideration for inclusion as an Olympic sport. Interestingly, the form of the sport most akin to the Olympic ethic, that of skateboard racing, has yet to be considered.
- Samg, London
It is ridiculous that real sports like baseball and softball have been cut from the Olympics, but a recreation like skateboarding gets added.
There are thousands of people playing baseball and softball in London every single week, at venues like Finsbury Park. They should have been allowed to represent their country in the Olympics.
- Helena Handcart, London
If skateboarding is not a sport based on JC's comments then neither is football.
I see more kids 'hanging around in groups harassing people' with footballs than I do skateboards.
- Stuart, Dunstable UK
If someone trains everyday and can compete at Olympic level then of course they should be included. There’s no reason why they shouldn’t.
- Jon, North London
I, 100%, think that skateboarding should be made an official Olympic sport. The bosses need move the with the times and by including modern sports like skateboarding along side the more traditional ones it will help get more young people interested in the games.
- Cleo, Hammersmith
Skateboarding should be included. It’s a sport just like any other, its not just ASBO certified kids that skateboard.
- Sylvain, Clapham
Skateboarding is not a sport, it’s just an excuse for youths to hang around in groups and harass people. No it shouldn’t be considered a sport worth enough to be at the Olympics.
- Jc, Hammersmith
Good, we're one step closer to getting downhill and cross country mountainbiking added.
- Trevor Roll, London
