Olympics, boxing, pentathlon and weightlifting out in 2028 if …

The countdown has started. Now the burden of proof has changed field: it is no longer up to the IOC to wait and stimulate a change, the federations must change course. Boxing, weightlifting and pentathlon are not included in the Los Angeles 2028 program to date. Three huge pieces of sport history, disciplines that have seen the birth of icons such as Muhammad Ali, which were invented by Pierre de Coubertin – the pentathlon – are excluded from the largest global showcase. They will have two years to redeem themselves.

news and exclusions

—

The decision was made yesterday by the Executive of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, which published the list of the 28 federations involved in the 2028 Games. There is the promotion of surfing, climbing and skateboarding, which Tokyo liked and which in 2028 will find fertile ground. But it is mainly absences that make noise. Thus Thomas Bach, president of the IOC: “Aiba – the international boxing federation – must demonstrate that it has acknowledged the concerns about its governance, financial transparency and the integrity of referees and juries. The Iwf – the governing body of weightlifting – must demonstrate an effective cultural change, giving a historical turning point to the incidence of doping in sport “. Finally, the modern pentathlon, in the spotlight in Tokyo for the mistreatment of a horse that refused to jump an obstacle. “It will be necessary to replace the races with horses (with a cycling test, ed) and review the format, cut costs and increase appeal “.

olive: “that’s right”

—

Bach has given boxing and weightlifting the IOC moniker of “problem children”. Patrizio Oliva, gold medalist in super light in Moscow 1980, is not surprised that boxing has reached this situation: “We have known for some time that Aiba is under the eye of the IOC. I have always been for transparency and it is right that this beating has come. Sorry that athletes give up their biggest dream, the Olympics, because of managers who are not up to par. In addition there is the theme of the referees. After the Rio 2016 controversy, as a sign of rupture, the best 36 had been cut. In Tokyo, where Aiba was excluded and the tournaments were managed by the IOC, those present were irreproachable but inexperienced “. Yesterday’s ultimatum also worries Antonio Urso, president of Federpesistica, after the splendid podiums of Giorgia Bordignon (silver), Mirko Zanni and Nino Pizzolato (bronze) arrived in Tokyo: “We have this sword of Damocles on our heads, up to Paris 2024 here we are, no one knows what will happen next. We have not had any indications on the path to take to return to 2023, but the theme is clear: to cancel doping and corruption. We need a new and more democratic governance ”.

the football knot

—

Bach then expressed frustration with FIFA, noting that he learned from the media that 2028 will most likely coincide with the first edition of a biennial World Cup: “We have not had any exchanges with FIFA on this. We have to study what impact this would have on the availability of the players and consider the consequences. “