Sport Climbing will officially be a recognized event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
All we can say is, it’s about time! After years of patience and ups and downs, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced during the celebrations of the current games in Rio de Janeiro, that sport climbing will be an official event at Tokyo in 2020.
Over the last decade, it seemed as if the goal of making sport climbing an Olympic sport was close to a reality but over the last two years, those hopes started to fade. However, due to the fact that Japan was chosen as the next location, a revival of this dream reappeared since Japan is home to approximately 500,000 avid climbers and the host city has the power to include a sport with high popularity in that country.
The climbing events will include three disciplines: sport, bouldering, and speed. Forty climbers (twenty men and twenty women) will compete over four days, and the six medallists will be chosen based on the combined results of all three styles.
IOC also recognizes Ski Mountaineering
In more good news from the ski/climbing/mountain world, the IOC also granted full recognition to the International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF) to join the Olympic sport family.
“We are very proud of this result which is also a great responsibility - says Armando Mariotta, ISMF president – and I would like to thank the whole ISMF team for the massive work that everyone carried out and the IOC Sport Department for its precious supportâ€.
The IOC had been assessing ISMF methods and actions in order to decide whether or not the Federation deserved full recognition. In the same statement, Mariotta added “I believe that there are different reasons contributing to this result. Crucial for the recognition has also been the contract signed with INFRONT in order to set up a media and broadcasting plan, as well as the agreement with LGC, Le Grande Course, for the new World rankingâ€