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Did you know breakdancing is now an Olympic sport?

9 June 2024

You’re used to seeing track and field, gymnastics, and swimming at the Summer Olympics, but did you know breakdancing is now an Olympic sport?

Stacker examined the new sports and events coming to the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Many sports vie to be in the Olympics for greater visibility and to fuel participation.

The International Olympic Committee’s revenue-sharing model doesn’t hurt either — after the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, the IOC distributed nearly $523 million to the international federations governing the sports in the Olympic program.

Though many sports try, getting onto the Olympic program is a complex process that can take years.

There are two elements of the Olympic sports program:

The initial program consists of the core sports you see at every Games and hosts city-selected sports.

To be considered for Olympic inclusion, the sport must have an international federation that the IOC “recognizes.”

Recognized international federations have participation from a wide range of countries and continents, a world championship, and abide by many rules, including those against doping and competition manipulation.

Recognized status does not guarantee Olympic inclusion — chess, billiards, and cheerleading are all IOC-recognized sports but have yet to be in the Olympics.

IOC membership votes on the initial sports program about seven years before an Olympics occurs.

Once a sport is on this list, it’s almost permanently put on the program, although that’s not always the case.

Host cities may also add sports to the program — with IOC approval — to make their Olympics unique.

Host cities make their selections using a framework of 35 considerations, including the number of athletes, appeal to youth, costs, and local popularity.

The number of new sports can vary — the 2020 Tokyo Olympics had five new sports.

Paris kept new sports like skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing, and added one new sport to the mix.

Sports may also change their events from Olympic year to Olympic year to modernize them, appeal to younger generations, and provide more opportunities for women.

In Tokyo, basketball added a 3×3 event, giving urban half-court play an Olympic platform.

In Paris, you’ll also see several new events that will change up the Games.