Surfing, skateboarding confirmed for 2028 LA Olympic Games as boxing almost certain to disappear from card for first time in over a century due to “integrity of its refereeing and judging processes”

Juiced-up weightlifters out of the game, too!

Early days etc, like, plenty can happen over the next seven years but the International Olympic Committee has recommended “youth focussed sports” surfing, skateboarding and sports climbing, Tokyo debutantes, remain on the card for the LA Games in 2028. 

Perennial Olympic sports boxing, weightlifting and modern pentathlon, howevs, are on ice. Boxing and weightlifting have run at every Games since 1920, the pentathlon, a five-event combo dish, since 1912. 

The IOC’s prez, Tommy Bach, said boxing and weightlifting, which are on the Paris schedule for 2024, need to clean up and the pentathlon has to lose the horses to make it more appealing to “the kids.”

Bach said if The International Boxing Association (AIBA) wants back in it has to hit concerns “around its governance, its financial transparency and sustainability and the integrity of its refereeing and judging processes.”

(In 2016, an investigation found Olympic gold medal bouts were fixed by “compliant” refs and judges.)

Weightlifters love getting on the juice, that ain’t a secret to anyone, and therefore the International Weightlifting Fed has to “ensure the integrity, robustness and full independence of its anti-doping program” before their Olympic masters allow ’em to return.

Surfing, of course, was a terrific success at Tokyo, the Brazilian Italo Ferreira pushing hard against the expected narrative of a Japanese surfing gold medal with a triumphant and invulnerable campaign at Chiba’s Tsurigasaki Beach.

Of all the gold medal contenders, Italo, was the only one that carried the perpetual ecstasy of the looter.

A glorious week.