BERLIN: Wrestling, axed from the 2020 Olympic programme by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in February, has a good chance of coming back after making sweeping changes, IOC Vice President Thomas Bach said yesterday.
Wrestling, squash and a joint bid by baseball and softball have been picked as the three candidate sports, one of which will fill the spot for the 2020 Olympics left vacant by wrestling in an IOC vote in September.
“I have the impression that the international federation (FILA) has understood very well the messages sent to them,” Bach, who is a frontrunner in the IOC presidential race, told the Foreign Press Association (VAP) in Berlin.
“The international federation has drawn its conclusions. It is now here with a new president, new programme and new ideas for the sport. That is why I personally believe that wrestling has good chances to come through the vote in September.”
FILA launched a frantic race to make the candidate sports shortlist in May after it was stunned in February when the IOC took the sport off the Games programme for the first time since 1900.
The IOC will elect the winning sport at its session in Buenos Aires on September 8. REUTERS
