Here's why:
1. Demonstration sports were suspended after the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona
The Olympic Programme has expanded significantly and has not included official demonstration sports since 1992. From the information I've been able to find online, this is because demonstration sports were required to meet the same criteria as leading or core sports and were often held as an audition for future games or to showcase local sports. These events took time and effort to organise, detracting from the main core of sports.
2. Regional popularity alone is not enough
In the 2002 Olympic Programme Commission report it was concluded that "regional popularity should not be a sole factor permitting the admission of a sport to the Olympic Programme." So just because Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has ties to Brazil, doesn't mean it will be admitted to the Programme.
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| Rio will be hosting the 2016 Games, but Jiu Jitsu won't be an official sport |
3. The International Federation of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu must meet certain criteria
This includes demonstrating their year of establishment, member national federations, running of World Championships, athlete rankings, junior and youth development. They must demonstrate they are a non-profit organisation and that the Federation recognises the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s jurisdiction and accepts the Code of Sports-related Arbitration. Board members of the Federation must be elected and distributed internationally. Check out the organisational structure of the 7 sports shortlisted for the 2012 London Games, all of which did NOT make the cut!
4. Universality
This refers to the sport being widely practiced by both men and women in at least 75 countries on 4 continents and reflected in the top 16 places at World Championships. Last I checked, Mundials had a disproportionate number of Brazilian representatives and place-getters. Abu Dhabi Pro and ADCC aren't run by the IBJJF, but have the same issue even though those Brazilians qualify in different countries. Equality between men's and women's participation is also a big deal to the IOC, with the sport needing to promote a healthy attitude and numbers toward this issue.
5. Anti-doping
Caio Terra did have a point. It's not just about the spirit of the sport, its about the image too. To be considered for the Olympic Programme, BJJ must first adopt AND implement the World Anti-Doping Code.
6. Admission time
To be admitted to the Olympic Programme, the sport must have been recognised by the IOC for at least 7 years. This is usually the lag between games being announced and organised, and BJJ is not currently recognised. It's now 2011...
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| The sports included in the 2008 Beijing Olympics |
So should we be pushing for Olympic inclusion right now? I think opening BJJ up to scrutiny now is only going to draw criticism and perhaps a lasting reputation of a less than professional international sport.
Over the next few years as jiu jitsu grows, perhaps we should be focusing our attention to rallying for the sport to meet the world standards for participation and governance before we start petitioning to be included. After all, the IBJJF website states that inclusion in the Olympics is a goal!
Number 1 and 2 are ridiculous!
ReplyDeleteRiduculous, but unfortunately well documented by the IOC.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Laura. Very interesting read.
ReplyDeleteIntuitively, it seems too early for BJJ to be in the Olympics. #4 is a particularly logical criteria, though I actually never considered the relatively low number of women in the sport to be a strike against Olympic qualification. Perhaps that is good motivation for IBJJF and club owners to be proactive in encouraging female participation.
On the other hand, there is also the concern that being in the Olympics might "bastardize" the art. Have you heard people lament that possibility?
Hey Ashley,
ReplyDeleteI have heard opposition from Jiu Jitsu people (usualy those that stick to the self-defence focus) about the Olympics "bastardizing" the art. "Look at what happened to Judo," they all say, "too many rules and nowhere near realistic; the original techniques and principles have been lost for the sake of competition".
I'd tend to agree.