Rowing included as one of 25 core sports for 2020 Olympic Games

Besides rowing, the other 24 core sports are: athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, canoeing, cycling, equestrian, fencing, football, gymnastics, weightlifting, handball, hockey, judo, swimming, modern pentathlon, taekwondo, tennis, table tennis, shooting, archery, triathlon, sailing and volleyball.

The IOC’s Executive Board recommended that wrestling not be included on the list of core sports. Wrestling will now join the seven shortlisted sports – baseball/softball, karate, roller sports, sport climbing, squash, wakeboarding and wushu – vying for inclusion in the 2020 Olympic programme as an additional sport. The eight sports are scheduled to make presentations to the Executive Board at its meeting in St Petersburg, Russia, in May. The Executive Board will then select which of the eight sports to recommend to the 125th IOC Session for inclusion as an additional sport on the 2020 programme.

In an effort to ensure the Olympic Games remain relevant to sports fans of all generations, the Olympic Programme Commission systematically reviews every sport following each edition of the Games. Golf and rugby sevens were added in 2009 as additional sports to the 2016 Olympic programme and will continue in 2020. The 125th IOC Session will take place from 7 to 10 September in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The IOC Session will also decide on the site of the 2020 Olympic Games and will select a new IOC President.