18 July 2005 - IOC Recognized Sports Regret Singapore Decision

The Council of the Association of IOC Recognized International Sports Federations (ARISF) today deplored the IOC’s recent decision in Singapore not to admit new sports onto the 2012 Summer Games program, despite the exclusion of baseball and softball.

Squash and karate, which headed the list of five sports eligible for inclusion, both failed to obtain the necessary 67% majority of IOC members’ votes when it came to the final decision. Both sports did receive a large majority of the votes cast and came less than 10 votes short.

“While squash and karate have demonstrated that they did have support of a wide majority of IOC members, the two thirds voting requirement finally held them outside the 2012 Games” , said the ARISF President Jan Fransoo. “It is regrettable that a minority of less than 40 IOC members did not support the changes prepared by the IOC Executive Board to adapt the program to the popular sports among the youth of the world. Apparently, when 50% of the votes is sufficient to remain on the program, a simple majority should also suffice to enter a new sport .”

Members of the ARISF Council will meet at The World Games in Duisburg, Germany, this week to further discuss the implications of the IOC’s decision for the entire Olympic Family. ARISF will develop proposals in the coming months to help the IOC reach its objective of an Olympic Games program that truly represents actual sport participation in the world.