Golf is favourite for 2016 Olympics and Monty wants in
The International Olympic Committee makes its decision on which sports will be included in the 2016 Olympic Games in October and yesterday was the last chance to put golf’s case to the IOC. Apparently, it’s looking good for golf and we’ve all got our fingers crossed.
Two sports from a list of seven will win a place at the 2016 summer games following an IOC vote in October. Baseball and softball were dropped from the Olympic schedule for London 2012 and are trying to get back in for 2016 along with squash, karate, roller-sports and rugby sevens.
Colin Montgomerie was there to back up the case for golf and even wants to play in 2016 saying: “There is nothing to stop me competing in the Olympic Games at 53.
“If I’m in the top 60 in the world my God I’ll be there wherever the city may be and I think I speak for the top 60 men.”
“We are very much hoping and wanting to compete in an Olympic Games – 100 per cent of us will be travelling to compete.”
The IOC will cut down the list from seven to two before the full vote in October. Apparently, as things stand golf and rugby sevens are favourites to make the cut. Baseball and softball are the most likely challengers but they were ejected from the programme at Athens so there will hopefully be a reluctance to include them again so soon. Squash will definitely argue that it has most to gain from getting back in as well as being part of the racket sport tradition of the games.
It seems that commercial factors are the over-riding factor in the race to be included. The IOC are very keen to be an attractive broadcast product and provide existing and emerging markets with content that adds a premium to rights fees.
The International Rugby Board has run a sustained and persuasive campaign for sevens, stressing the commercial appeal of the abbreviated form of the game and its ability to attract travelling spectators.
It also scored highly when it announced that the Sevens World Cup would be ditched if it gained admission to the Olympics, a self-denying move that has gone down well in Lausanne.
Golf came later to the race but has established itself as a front-runner, thanks to its commercial popularity, ability to draw on a truly global field and the rise of the women’s game. The endorsement of Tiger Woods has also boosted its chances.
Golf’s presentation on Monday will be high-powered, with European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie and former womens’ No 1 Anneka Sorenstam travelling to Lausanne with R&A chief executive Peter Dawson and US PGA commissioner Tim Finchem.
The games does face obstacles, including the fact that the four majors will remain the pinnacle of the game even if it does gain Olympic recognition.
Golf will promise on Monday that no majors would ever clash with the Olympics and they will guarantee that the top 15 players in the world will play, regardless of nationality. The IOC executive board is expected to decide its two selected sports at its August meeting before the vote in early October. We really hope they choose golf!
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