New Hope for Wakeboarding to Take Part in the 2020 Tokyo Games

Hopes of wakeboarding gaining admission to the Olympics appear to be gaining traction after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved a wide-ranging reform package in Monaco this Monday, including a more affordable bidding process, creation of an Olympic television channel and a more flexible sports program that could bring wakeboarding into the 2020 Tokyo Games. No wonder, the success of Snowboard in the Winter Olympics highlighted the impact of Board Sports for sponsors, TV coverage and the fans. Thus, the addition of Wakeboard to the Summer Games in 2020 seems as a natural step for IOS to continue in similar manner; bringing a totally new youth driven event to the Games.

18. 12. 2014

Despite initial IOS's decision regarding new sports for the 2020 Olympic Games earlier this year leading to an enormous IWWF (International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation) disappointment as Wakeboarding was eliminated along with Roller Sports and Sport Climbing (controversially, Wrestling, one of the candidates, succeeded on the very first vote - editor's note) , the new Olympic Agenda 2020 put forward by IOS's president Thomas Bach, is a new hope not only for wakeboarding but other youth-oriented sports.

What is at stake is agreement on a strategic roadmap for the future development of the Olympic Movement. Of special interest to the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) was item 10 on the list of 40 Recommendations – "Move from a sport-based programme to an event based one".

The new system makes the process more of an invitation and allows prospective candidates to discuss their plans in advance with the committee to tailor games to their own needs — and keep them affordable.

Already, the IWWF has made a proposal to the Tokyo Organising Committee of the 2020 Olympics for the installation of an environment friendly Wakeboard Cable system on their Olympic Rowing and Canoe site – thus minimizing the costs. This has already been done successfully on the Olympic lakes in Beijing and Barcelona. Floodlit Wakeboard could also take place at night as was done so successfully by its sister sport Snowboard in Sochi. Surprisingly, the cost of such an installation could be as low as US$100,000 and it could easily be moved to another location after the Games if desired. This would therefore remove any legacy issues.

Attending the IOC Monaco Session, IWWF President Kuno Ritschard stated – “IOC President Thomas Bach deserves our congratulations and has certainly opened the door for sports which can attract substantial new youth focused audiences to the Olympic Games. We know that the inclusion of Wakeboard would show the world exactly how the IOC is capable of quickly adapting to global trends”.

Check out the Olympic lake in Beijing below.