IOC to drop 1 Olympic sport; modern pentathlon on hot seat

By Stephen Wilson

Associated Press

Published: Friday, Feb. 8 2013 12:22 p.m. MST

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and IOC President Jaques Rogge press a symbolic button to mark a 1 year to the start of 2014 Winter Olympics, in Sochi, Russia, on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013.

Ivan Sekretarev, Associated Press

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Summary

Removing a sport from the Olympics is one of the IOC's most sensitive tasks. After months of evaluation, a decision will come next week — and the century-old competition of modern pentathlon appears the most at risk.

LONDON — Removing a sport from the Olympics is one of the IOC's most sensitive tasks. After months of evaluation, a decision will come next week — and the century-old competition of modern pentathlon appears the most at risk.

The IOC executive board will meet in Lausanne, Switzerland, and announce Tuesday which of the current 26 sports on the Olympic program will be dropped for the 2020 Games.

The IOC will decide later this year which sport to bring in as a replacement.

The last sports axed from the Olympics were baseball and softball, off the program since the 2008 Beijing Games. Baseball and softball have now combined forces and are among seven sports competing for inclusion in 2020, along with karate, roller sports, squash, sport climbing, wakeboarding and wushu.

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