3 sports added to ’28 L.A. Olympics
BEIJING — Skateboarding, surfing and sports climbing have been added to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The decision by the International Olympic Committee on Thursday was expected after its executive board agreed to an initial list of 28 sports in December.
Los Angles organizers have welcomed the “three iconic West Coast sports” that made their debuts at last year’s Tokyo Olympics. The IOC is promoting urban sports to attract younger viewers.
Boxing, modern pentathlon and weightlifting have not yet been included. They can be added next year by meeting targets set by the IOC board.
Space can also be made for sports suggested by Los Angeles organizers. Those could include breakdancing or baseball and softball. Breakdancing will debut at the 2024 Olympics at the request of the Paris organizers.
Peng update: The president of the IOC sought to play down concerns about the safety of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai while also saying he planned to go ahead with their long-promised dinner during the Beijing Games.
Thomas Bach says “we will know better about her physical integrity and about her mental state when we can finally meet in person.”
Peng last year accused a former senior Chinese Community Party official of sexual assault. Bach is among the few people outside China to have spoken with Peng in the past three months in calls by video link with IOC staff.
Those calls frustrated tennis leaders and human rights activists who wanted footage or transcripts that could verify Peng’s well-being. They claimed the IOC was covering up for the Olympic host nation.
“We know from her explanations during the video conferences that she is living here in Beijing,” Bach said, “that she can move freely, that she’s spending time with her family and friends.”
The most recent call between Peng and IOC staff was held this week, Bach said.
Virus update: Organizers announced 55 more positives tests for the coronavirus, including 26 cases among the athletes and team officials, from about 68,000 tests.
A total of 200 positive tests for the virus have been recorded at the Olympics since Jan. 23. Of those 200, 67 were athletes and officials. “Stakeholders” accounted for the other 133.
Athletes who tested positive include: Former Boston Bruins player David Krejci of the Czech Republic, who hopes to be eventually cleared to play; Ukrainian figure skater Ivan Shmuratko and German figure skater Nolan Seegert, whose positive tests means their countries will score no points in the men’s component of figure skating’s team event; and Nordic combined athlete Jarl Magnus Riiber of Norway, ranked No. 2 in the world.