Joe
Just when the breakdancing bug stung the world with displays at the Paris Olympics, it has been revealed that the sport will not make a return to the Olympic stage in the 2028 Los Angeles Games peaknews.ng reports.
The decision to exclude the sport was made well before the performances at the Paris Games, according to officials.
The Los Angeles Olympic organizers opted not to include breakdancing in their 2028 program, citing that it did not align with their vision for the Games.
This decision, made in 2023, was not influenced by the performances of Olympic breakdancers, such as Raygun, who had gained attention at the Paris event.
Kit McConnell, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Sports Director, explained the rationale behind the decision during a press briefing last year. “It’s up to each local organizing committee to determine which sports to put forward that fit with their vision of the Games,” McConnell stated, as reported by The Washington Post. “Obviously breaking fit very clearly with Paris’s vision of a very youth-focused urban engagement.”
Breakdancing, also known as breaking, was introduced to the Olympic program after a successful debut at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. Its inclusion in the 2024 Paris Games was part of a broader effort by the IOC to introduce urban sports, such as skateboarding and BMX cycling, in a bid to appeal to younger audiences.
Jean-Laurent Bourquin, a former senior manager with the IOC and former CEO of the World DanceSport Federation, noted that “Breaking is allowing the [International Olympic Committee] to reconnect with the youth, the generation between 15 and 25 years old,” according to The Athletic.
Originating in the U.S. during the 1970s, breakdancing has evolved into a global sport, particularly popular within the hip-hop community. The sport features complex footwork, flips, twists, and acrobatic moves that have captivated audiences worldwide.
The Olympic Games have a history of adding and removing sports, with disciplines such as polo, golf, karate, and tug-of-war having been included in the past. “The Olympics are constantly evolving, it’s trial and error,” said Bob Barney, an Olympic historian and professor emeritus at the University of Western Ontario, in an interview with NBC Insider.
He added, “(The International Olympic Committee) will try something and if it works great, they will embrace it, they will refine it, they will carry it on. If it doesn’t work, well, back to the drawing board.”
For the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, five new sports will make their debut: flag football, lacrosse, cricket, squash, and baseball/softball. IOC President Thomas Bach highlighted the significance of these additions, stating, “The choice of these five new sports is in line with the American sports culture and will showcase iconic American sports to the world, while bringing international sports to the United States.”
Bach emphasized that their inclusion would make the LA28 Games unique and engage new athlete and fan communities both in the U.S. and globally.
