What Sports Were Dropped From the Olympics?

As the Olympics get closer, we take a look at some of the sports that have been dropped from the games over the years.

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Introduction

The International Olympic Committee meets every four years to discuss changes to the sports program for the next Summer Olympics. For the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, several sports will be making their debut, while some others will be dropped.

The sports that are dropped are typically those that have low popularity or lack appeal to a global audience. In recent years, the IOC has also been looking to reduce the cost and size of the Olympics by dropping events that require specialized venues or too many athletes.

Here is a list of sports that have been dropped from the Olympics over the years:

– Baseball: Baseball was first introduced as a demonstration sport at the 1904 Summer Olympics, but it wasn’t added as an official medal sport until 1992. It was then dropped after the 2008 Summer Olympics.
– Softball: Softball was introduced as a medal sport at the 1996 Summer Olympics. It was then dropped after the 2008 Summer Olympics.
– Water polo: Water polo was first introduced as a demonstration sport at the 1900 Summer Olympics. It became an official medal sport in 1932 and was then dropped after the 1972 Summer Olympics.
– Tug of war: Tug of war was introduced as an official medal sport at the 1900 Summer Olympics. It was then dropped after the 1920 Summer Olympics.
– Lacrosse: Lacrosse was introduced as a demonstration sport at the 1904 Summer Olympics. It wasn’t added as an official medal sport until 1934 and was then dropped after the 1948 Summer Olympics.
– Polo: Polo was introduced as an official medal sport at the 1900 Summer Olympics. It was then dropped after the 1936 Summer Olympics.

A Brief History of the Olympics

The first Olympics were held in 776 BC in Olympia, Greece, with just a handful of events. As the Games grew in popularity, more and more events were added.

Over the years, some sports have fallen by the wayside while others have been added. Here’s a look at some of the sports that have been dropped from the Olympic lineup:

Tug of war was an official event in the 1900, 1904, 1908 and 1912 Summer Olympics. It was contested by two teams of seven players who tugged on opposite ends of a rope until one team pulled the other across a central line. The sport was dropped because it was considered too subjective to judge fairly.

Lacrosse was an official sport in the 1904 Summer Olympics. It was contested by two teams of 10 players each who tried to score goals by throwing a small ball into their opponents’ net using a lacrosse stick. The sport was dropped because it wasn’t popular enough internationally.

Polo was an official sport in the 1900, 1908, 1920 and 1924 Summer Olympics. It was contested by teams of four players each who rode horses and tried to score goals by hitting a small ball into their opponents’ net using a long-handled mallet. The sport was dropped because it wasn’t popular enough internationally and because it required too much equipment.

Softball was an official sport in the 1996 Summer Olympics. It was contested by teams of nine players each who tried to score runs by hitting a softball and running around four bases. The sport was dropped because it wasn’t popular enough internationally.

Why Were Certain Sports Dropped?

The Olympics are always adding and subtracting sports. Some sports, like baseball and softball, are gone for now but could return in future years. Others, like tug of war, were once official sports but haven’t been in the Olympics in decades.

Many of the changes have to do with the popularity of a sport. When the Olympics first started, there were only a few sports that were popular enough to be included. As time goes on and new sports become more popular, Olympic organizers add them to the lineup. They also drop sports that have become less popular.

Some of the other reasons why a sport might be dropped are because it’s too dangerous, it’s too hard to organize, or it doesn’t fit with the spirit of the Olympics. For example, Demonstration Sports were once part of the Olympics but were dropped because they weren’t considered true competitions.

Here are some of the most famous sports that have been dropped from the Olympics:
-Tug of War: Tug of war was an official sport in the early days of the Olympics, but it was dropped after 1920 because it was too difficult to organize and there were too many injuries.
-Demonstration Sports: Demonstration Sports were once part of the Olympics, but they were dropped because they weren’t considered true competitions. Some of the most famous Demonstration Sports were baseball, softball, karate, and trampoline.
-Polo: Polo was an official sport in 1900 and 1904 but was dropped because it was too difficult to organize. It hasn’t been in the Olympics since 1904.

Which Sports Have Been Dropped?

The Olympics are always evolving. What was once a strictly amateur event is now open to professional athletes, and new sports are added every few years. At the same time, some sports are dropped from the lineup as well. Here’s a look at some of the sports that have been dropped from the Olympics over the years.

-Tug of War: This was an official Olympic sport from 1900 to 1920.
-Polo: Polo was last played in the 1936 Olympics.
-Rope Climbing: This was a popular gymnastics event in the early 1900s. It was last seen in the 1932 Olympics.
-Softball: Softball was an official Olympic sport from 1996 to 2008.
-Baseball: Baseball was last played in the 2008 Olympics.
-Hockey: Field hockey was last played in the 1948 Olympics. Ice hockey was last played in the 1994 Olympics.

What Sports Might Be Dropped in the Future?

The Olympics are always evolving. New sports are added and old sports are dropped on a regular basis. Sports are dropped for a variety of reasons, such as a lack of popularity or because they no longer fit with the Olympic brand.

Some of the sports that have been dropped from the Olympics in recent years include baseball, softball, handball, and field hockey. These sports were all dropped after the 2012 London Olympics.

There is always speculation about which sports might be cut from the Olympics in the future. Some of the sports that have been mentioned as possible candidates for removal include archery, badminton, canoeing, equestrian, fencing, judo, shooting, taekwondo, weightlifting, and wrestling.

Conclusion

While many of the sports that were dropped were due to financial reasons or a lack of interest, some were also because they no longer fit within the Olympic framework. The committee is always looking for ways to make the games more accessible and enjoyable for both athletes and spectators, and dropping certain sports is one way to do that.