LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Breakdancing has been confirmed as an official Olympic sport.
The International Olympic Committee’s pursuit of urban events to lure a younger audience saw street dance battles officially added to the medal events program at the 2024 Paris Games.
The IOC executive board also confirmed skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing for Paris. Those three sports will make their Olympic debuts at the Tokyo Games which were postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Ahead of the announcement, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach praised the additions, describing them during an interview in 2019 as events that will make the Summer Games "more gender balanced, more youthful and more urban."
Breaking, the preferred term by those who practice breakdancing, actual made its Olympic debut already. It was part of the 2018 Summer Youth Games in Buenos Aires.
The Tokyo opening ceremony is July 23, 2021.
Paris organizers need time to prepare and so the IOC kept its schedule to confirm the 2024 sports this month.
