Many sports are not included in the Olympic program but are recognized by the IOC.[1] At any time, a recognized sport may be added to the Olympic program in future Games through a recommendation by the IOC Olympic Programme Commission followed by a voting of the IOC membership. When Olympic demonstration sports were allowed, a sport typically first appeared as such before being officially promoted.[4] An International Federation (IF) is responsible for ensuring that the sport’s activities follow the Olympic Charter; from the moment their sport is recognized they become official Olympic federations and can assemble with the IOC and remaining Olympic IFs.[1] Recognized sports that are not part of the competition schedule for an Olympic Games usually become part of the schedule of the World Games.
The following sports, though not contested in the Olympic Games, are recognized by the IOC:[13]
At the first Olympic Games, nine sports were contested.[14] Since then, the number of sports contested at the Summer Olympic Games has gradually risen to twenty-eight on the program from 2000–2008. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, however, the number of sports will fall back to twenty-six following an IOC vote in early 2006 deciding the removal of baseball and softball from the Olympic program. These remain recognized sports nonetheless, with the possibility of a return to the Olympic program in future games.[9] At the 121st IOC Session in Copenhagen on 9 October 2009, the IOC voted to simultaneously reinstate both golf and rugby to the Olympic program, meaning that for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, the number of official Olympic sports that will be contested will be back up to 28 again, two more than the 26 sports that constitute London’s program.[15]
In order for a sport or discipline to be in included in the Summer Olympics program (but not necessarily be contested at the Olympics), it must be widely practiced by men and women, in at least 75 and 50 countries, respectively, spread over four continents.[16]
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