Morning:
9°c
Wheels fall off 2012 skateboard event
Matthew Beard, Sports News Correspondent9 Oct 2007
Attempts to introduce skateboarding to the London Olympics have failed, it emerged today.
The International Olympic Committee had been keen to boost the youth appeal of the 2012 Games by giving the sport its debut in London.
But plans for the International Cycling Federation to adopt skateboarding as a "wheel-based" sport have faltered.
The proposals did not even make the organisation's agenda at its recent annual congress in Germany.
It canvassed opinion among its federations around the world, but they failed to give their unanimous backing and without the endorsement of a current Olympic sport, skateboarding's chances were dead although it may feature as an "exhibition" event.
The federation remains in talks with the IOC about introducing an additional form of BMX for London.
The cycling sport will make its debut at next year's Beijing games but, by 2012, a "freestyle" discipline could be added.
Skateboarders have been divided over the idea of taking part in the Olympics. Some would have welcomed the exposure, others said it would lead to a conformity that should be anathema to the sport that grew out of the Californian surf craze.
Kevin Parrott, secretary of the UK Skateboarding Association, said there were concerns that its introduction was being rushed.
"It has taken a long time to get competitive skateboarding right - both in the tone and technical aspects. The timetable to include it in the London Olympics was clearly too tight."
An IOC spokeswoman said: "BMX freestyle would be easier to introduce, as it already exists as a sport in the programme."
Under IOC rules, the deadline for a completely new sport at London 2012 passed in 2005. A loophole exists for a sport to be introduced as a "discipline" if it is adopted by an existing Olympic sport. New disciplines for London must be agreed by 2009.
Reader views (14)
It really is dissapointing to hear "skateboarders" say that skateboarding
Is not a sport. It reminds me of what my dad would say to me 20 years ago
when he would rather have seen me play baseball or some other team sport.
I feel since the 80's we've all been trying to legitimize this thing and we've come so far.
Olympic recognition would be that last hurdle. Then kids could say to their fathers, see dad it is a sport.
- Dion Coursen, Edmonton Canada, 26/02/2010 08:23
Report abuse
Sk8baording should not be part of the Olympics. It's not a sport. It's a lifestyle, an art form of individual expression. Nothing close to an "organized sport..." How can Olympic judges score skaters when STYLE alone doesn't have to consist of 900's & switch heel flip body varials? Some skaters throw down authority by riding fast as hell, tearing coping apart, and ripping indy airs without ever getting "technical". That kind of skating is an example of style...Most skaters I know that have been riding like myself for 20+ years don't want to have sk8boarding involved in the Olympics. We got enough crap that has infiltrated us over the years like Nike, X-Games, & Red Bull to name a few. Skateboarding roots came from backyard pools in the U.S.A., the skate parks & empty pools here in the states are second to no one in the world. There is no clean/polished side of skateboarding. The X-Games are a far cry to the spirit of skateboarding. Besides that, skateboarders will never tone it down for the Olympic Committee, you think we could pass drug tests?
- Lien Air, Phx, AZ., 19/02/2010 16:50
Report abuse
That is a real shame that skateboarding will not be included, there are loads of different disiplines (street, vert, downhill, bowl, freestyle) that are not only great to watch but would encourage tonnes of people of all ages and backgrounds to get knarly. Putting skateboarding into the main stream can't be bad idea can it?.. it would mean more acceptance and more skateparks! 
- Ben Martin, Milton Keynes, 13/08/2009 15:47
Report abuse
It is a good idea and a bad one at the same time since only so many people are in the xgames it gives people a better chance to show their skill, but it would completely change the image of skateboarding because it would make it a little more main stream
- Thomas, edmonton,alberta,canada, 24/08/2008 00:56
Report abuse
I think this is an excellent proposal, but with one tiny flaw - instead of half pipe skating, make it a big air contest on the Mega Ramp! I recently showed it to my father and he was awe-struck on how Danny way back flipped it. So i think the Mega Ramp would appeal to everyone, rather than the half pipe appealing to just a section of skaters. On the other hand, the Mega Ramp is very demanding, so maybe it could be added as an addition to the vert ramp.
- Ryan, Dubai, UAE, 21/08/2008 09:33
Report abuse
Skateboarding requires a great deal of athletic skill, more so than many of the sports that are part of the Olympics today. The words 'Olympic Airgun Shooting' to me don't conjure up images of athletes (though no doubt shooting straight requires skill). The word skateboarding brings up images of people flipping through the air, or flipping their boards beneath them down drops and over gaps - things that require a great deal of training and technical skill.
- Jeff Smith, Toronto, Ontario, 15/08/2008 14:05
Report abuse
I think professional vert ramp skate boarding is truly a unique and wondrous, technical sport. To see world class athletes at the top level would be an exhilarating event. Because so many kids ride, its hard to sometimes picture professional athletes giving their all. But it happens and its a beautiful expression of endurance, skill, stamina not to mention the extreme. Kids that play football aren't at the same level as the men nor do they play like it. Same with skateboarding. It is a unfortunate choice they have made not to include it, the world has missed out as well as the host nation having let a defying new event slip through there fingers. Just think of what could have been said in the headlines...England, welcoming the future. What a difference they could have made in distinguishing there Olympics from past. Now its now different to what we got now in China. Don't get me wrong China has done great but I thought that was the challenge set to host an Olympic event bigger, more personal, adding to the world through competitive professionalism. I'll never know now, by ushering in skateboarding into a new area of pride in representing their country whether it installs in these kids a professional image. To instill a new image as to who they are and how they are persevered with profession attitudes to skateboarding and the partakers.
Thats my opinion. Good luck England we'll see if it's same ol same ol, good but nothing new.
- Matthew, Australia Melbourne, 14/08/2008 15:42
Report abuse
Fantastic news! Inclusion in the Olympics would only damage skateboarding. By the looks of it the only people who really wanted it were money hungry skate companies and profession skaters. Skateboarding is not a sport.
- Victor Mac Mahon, Manchester, UK, 12/10/2007 10:49
Report abuse
Shame, if handled well it could have been a great event for skate fans and skaters all over the country.
The whole approach to getting it into the games was unfortunately as dated and unpopular with the skate community as a lot of the Olympic sports are. Curling? Right, what a sport, pure art!
Perhaps it was good thing after all.
It's got to be said though...the amount of new skateable spots created by the 2012 development is going to do more for the sport at grass roots than any niche event buried on TV schedules!
- Nick Hopkins, London, UK, 10/10/2007 13:40
Report abuse
Hi Martin and Paul!
Sorry to break the news, but IOC, if it ever decides it wants skateboarding, would probably go for vert (half pipe) and/or big air...then it would want street.
Even though slalom is measurable and truly exciting to watch.
And don't get me started on downhill.
If any side of skateboarding belongs in the Olympics, it's slalom and downhill. However, because the skating industry would rather focus on street skating, they are left to grow underground. They will keep growing due to folks like you two!
- Michael Brooke, Thornhill, Ontario, Canada, 10/10/2007 13:39
Report abuse
Thank God for that. As a skateboarder I really would not like to see it in the Olympics.
The commercialisation that skateboarding has endured due to games like Tony Haawk's Skateboarding, the X games, and the rise of all that is "extreme" is sickening enough as it is.
- Saul Douris, London, 10/10/2007 13:06
Report abuse
Skateboarding is not a sport. Skateboarding is a lifestyle.
- Pappy B., Paris, France, 10/10/2007 12:32
Report abuse
I feel dissapointed that yet again the IOC has failed to recognise more up-to-date sports that have more relevance to the youth of today. Does the Cycling Federation of this country know our skate heritage in this country? From 2002 to 2005 we have had 4 different British Slalom World Champions and just over a week ago I set an official slalom skateboard Guinness World Record for an Chinese Record Breakers Show with a billion viewers in Asia. We also have some of the world's top street skaters, most of whom heve emigrated to the US where their skills are recognised.
Would people really rather watch Synchro swimming and leave the more exciting, relevant sports to the 'X-Games'?
The IOC has never had a great reputation for forward-thinking and this is clear proof!
Skateboarding on world participation figures alone deserves to be included in its own right, not under the umbrella of another sport. If necessary make room for it and ditch some of the fringe sports that bear no relevance in today's world.
- Martin Drayton, Hove-West Sussex, 10/10/2007 08:41
Report abuse
Skateboard Slalom racing would have been a great event
With racing already going on in London I am surprised nobody bothered to contact the London skateboarders for their ideas.
- Paul Price, London, England, 10/10/2007 00:44
Report abuse
