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BEIJING, Oct. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- Look ahead to the 2020 Summer Olympics now. And the Tokyo Games will be adding a new sport to the programme for the multi-sport event, one of those up for inclusion is skateboarding -- but not everyone is thrilled that athletes in the activity could be participating for an Olympic medal. A petition signed by almost 6,000 people have asked that the sport not be included in the 2020 Games.
The online petition's position was that if the extreme activity was part of the Olympic program it would be exploited, and not stay true to its alternative roots -- almost like selling out.
Baseball-softball, surfing, karate, sports climbing and skateboarding have been recommended for inclusion by the Tokyo organising committee for the 2020 Games. A final decision on which sport or sports to add to the program will be made by the IOC next August. The IOC Vice President discussed the skateboard appeal at a press conference Wednesday.
John Coates, IOC Vice President said:"It appears to me that they are a group that do not understand that it is not the traditional international federation for roller sport that would be the body that we are dealing with. I have seen tremendous support from international and national skateboarders on the basis there will be a new federation representing them. I thinks that's the issue."
(Source: CNTV.cn)
