The endangered species

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An IOC report calls for some of the less glamorous disciplines to be ditched. Standard Sport suggests which should be thrown out and which should survive.

BADMINTON MIXED DOUBLES

IOC: Mixed doubles is not in other racquet sports at the Olympics so why should it be part of badminton?
British badminton executive Stephen Baddeley: It's the most popular part of the game at grass-roots level, exciting to watch and one of the few sports where men and women can compete on an equal basis.
Olympic highlight: Jo Goode and Simon Archer's dramatic bronze medal in Sydney.
Standard verdict: Olympics should not lose touch with the feelings of the players at the lowest levels. Keep it.

KEELBOAT SAILING

IOC: There are too many events in sailing and TV broadcast and spectator appeal is low. The boats are expensive and demand costly infrastructure.
Royal Yachting Association racing manager John Derbyshire: Keelboats don't add that much to costs because big marinas have to be built anyway for officials' boats. Keelboat sailing allows competitors to stay in sport longer because athletic ability is not as important as in other classes.
Olympic highlight: At 1972 Games, Dane Paul Elvstrom was infuriated by a bumping incident with the French crew and packed up his boat and drove home in a huff before the event finished.
Standard verdict: Too elitist and expensive. Scuttle it.

LIGHTWEIGHT ROWING

IOC: Rowing has a large number of competitions and events and lightweight rowing doesn't significantly improve the universality of sport.
Britain's International Rowing manager David Tanner: Lightweight rowing is making the sport more popular in Asia and South America allowing smaller men and women to figure highly. Around half of Britain's rowers are involved in it.
Olympic highlight: Olympic world still waiting for this one.
Standard verdict: Leave the lightweights alone.

SLALOM CANOEING

IOC: Low participation in the world. Can be expensive to build venues.
British Canoe Union chief executive Paul Owen: The facilities built for previous Olympics all make a profit now. Canoe-slalom was the third most watched sport in Sydney.
Olympic highlight: Britain's Paul Ratcliffe was upside down as he was set to cross the finish line in Sydney but got his head above water just in time to avoid a disqualification and take silver.
Standard verdict: Don't axe such a TV-friendly sport.

RACEWALKING

IOC: Judging difficulties upset Sydney Olympics.
Britain's top racewalking official Peter Marlow: Sydney controversies were a problem with organisation and lack of electronic boards detailing disqualifications. Walking got huge crowds at last year's Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
Olympic highlight: In Sydney, Mexico's Bernardo Segura completed a winner's lap of honour before being disqualified and Jane Saville, from Sydney, was pulled out when leading as she was about to enter the stadium.
Standard verdict: It's a cheap sport and a bit zany. Keep the waddlers.

TEAM SYNCHRONISED SWIMMING

IOC: Sport has low global participation.
British Swimming chief executive David Sparkes: The IOC want more women in the Games and this is a women's sport. The arena is full for it. It is the hottest seat in town.
Olympic highlight: Well, this isn't actually an Olympic moment but Britain's best competitor in the early 1990s, Kerry Shacklock, is remembered for a freak accident when she was celebrating boyfriend Steve Backley's javelin gold medal in his hotel room at the 1990 European athletics championships in Split. Shacklock injured her spine.
Standard verdict: This sport is dominated by judging - a bad sign. It's a show, not a proper sport. Sink it.

 

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