2012 Olympic Games could see skateboarding debut

2012 Games could see skateboarding debut
By Sally Peck and agencies
09/06/2007
Telegraph UK

Skateboarding could make its Olympic debut at London 2012, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced.

Youth culture may soon have a greater Olympic presence
The IOC has been holding talks with skateboarding officials in Switzerland to agree a timetable for the sport's inclusion, it emerged today.

In order for it to be included in the Games, the International Cycling Union (ICU) would need to formally recognise skateboarding as a sport and come up with a formal proposal to be considered by the IOC, a spokesman for the committee said.

London's Evening Standard newspaper quoted the ICU's director of sport Olivier Queguiner as saying: "We are doing our best to introduce skateboarding for 2012."

He added: "Technically, logistically and in terms of cost, it would not be a problem to stage the event in 2012."

Other sports popular with young people have been introduced to the Games in recent years.

Snowboarding was introduced in 1998 at the Nagano Games as an official event with giant slalom and halfpipe, and BMX biking is due to make an appearance next year in Beijing.