IOC rejects World Triathlons request for 2 extra medal events for Paris Olympics 2024
World Triathlon announce that the International Olympic Committee Executive Board has approved the event programme and athlete quotas for the Olympic Games Paris 2024, in which triathlon will again have three medal events – the individual men, individual women and mixed relay – while the athlete quota will also stay the same, with 110 athletes in total.
Newly re-elected World Triathlon President and IOC Member, Marisol Casado explained “World Triathlon had requested that the IOC include two more medal events, as well as increasing the athlete quota, as we strongly believe that triathlon can have an even greater presence in the Olympics but, after many discussions with the IOC Sport department, we understand that this move was just not feasible right now, with most sports reducing the number of athletes that will compete in Paris.”
Olympic Games – Triathlon Mixed Relay
Whilst World Triathlon are disappointed that their proposed ‘Eliminator’ format has been rejected, they are, nevertheless, pleased that the Mixed Relay will be staying in the Olympic programme. In fact, Triathlon is one of the very few sports that maintain their number of athletes competing, currently set on 110 (55 men and 55 women). This in a time when the IOC is reducing the cost and complexity of hosting the Games which will see the current Tokyo quota of 11,092 athletes reduced to 10,500-athlete for the Paris Games quota set for Paris 2024.
The IOC received petitions for 41 additional medal events to be included in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, but the Programme Commission decided that no International Sports Federations will increase their medal events, and will make a reduction in the overall number of events, with a final programme of 329 medal events planned for Paris 2024.
As discussed, in a recent TriNation’s article on digital e-sport the Olympic Movement is very much aware that it needs to adapt to start attracting a younger audience. It is of no coincidence the Olympic programme will also have a growth of mixed gender events, from 18 to 22, compared to Tokyo 2020. IOC President Thomas Bach said “There is also a strong focus on youth.” Skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing and breaking confirmed as additional sports based on a proposal by Paris 2024, with a number of e-sports on track to take place at the Paris Olympics 2024 as demonstration events to attract the next ‘digital age’ generation. Similar to when Triathlon was a demonstration event at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand. From little acorns grow…!
