Durban – More youthful and entertaining elements have been added to the 2014 Winter Olympics to be held in Sochi, Russia.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said ski slopestyle, snowboard slopestyle and snowboard parallel special slalom will be included in the sports programme at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Men and women will compete in all these events.
The decision was taken by the IOC Executive Board ahead of the 123rd IOC and follows the inclusion in April of ski halfpipe (men and women), women’s ski jumping, biathlon mixed relay, figure skating team event and luge team relay.
“We are very pleased with the addition of ski and snowboard slopestyle and snowboard special slalom in the Olympic Winter Games programme,” said IOC President Jacques Rogge.
“Such events provide great entertainment for the spectators and add further youthful appeal to our already action-packed line-up of Olympic winter sports. We look forward to welcoming all the athletes to Sochi in 2014.”
The Olympic Programme Commission (OPC) initially proposed the inclusion of the events in Acapulco in October last year.
The OPC studied the proposal of the individual International Sports Federations and compiled a detailed analysis of all candidate events at their respective world championships last winter.
The decision was also based on an operational feasibility study undertaken by the organisers of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games.
The executive board also agreed on a shortlist of sports that will be considered for inclusion in the 2020 Olympiad sports programme.
The sports include, baseball, karate, roller sports, softball, sports climbing, squash, wakeboard and wushu – one of which could be added to the 2020 programme. Voting will take place at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires in 2013.
The programme can include a maximum of 28 sports. – Kemantha Govender, BuaNews
