International Olympic Committee Considers Skateboarding for 2012

Friday, June 8, 2007

(06-08) 12:34 PDT LONDON, United Kingdom (AP) --

Skateboarding could make its Olympic debut at the 2012 London Games.

The International Olympic Committee said Friday it has held discussions with cycling's world governing body about introducing skateboarding as a discipline for the London program.

Skateboarding events are part of the X Games, and the IOC is eager to modernize the Olympic program with sports and disciplines that appeal to youth. It has already added snowboarding to the Winter Games and BMX cycling for next year's Beijing Olympics.

"The IOC wants to make the program relevant for young people," IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau said.

Moreau said officials of the International Cycling Union met with the IOC sports department this week to discuss their proposal for adding skateboarding to the London Games.

The IOC does not recognize an international skateboarding federation, so the sport would first need to be adopted as a discipline under the UCI umbrella. After that, the UCI could make a formal proposal to the IOC for its inclusion in the Olympics.

The proposed venue for skateboarding in London is the velodrome in the Olympic Park.

"We are doing our best to introduce skateboarding for 2012," UCI sports director Olivier Quejuiner told the London Evening Standard. "We have a clear strategy ... The venue could be wonderful. All we need now is the green light from the IOC. Technically, logistically and in terms of cost, it would not be a problem to stage the event in 2012."

Twenty-six sports are on the London Olympic program. While it is too late to add any sports, new disciplines can still be brought in.

The X Games feature skateboarding "vert,""street" and "big air" events.