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[XiaNaphryz]

http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Cheerleading-Muay-Thai-given-provisional-Olympic-10798913.php

Finally putting to rest the juvenile debate of whether or not cheerleading is a sport, the International Olympic Committee has ruled in favor of the activity by giving cheerleading provisional Olympic status. Muay Thai, a form of kickboxing, was also given provisional standing.

However, that doesn't mean cheerleading or Muay Thai will necessarily be included in the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo. Rather, the International Cheer Union, as well as the Federation of Muay Thai, will each be given $25,000 in funding by the IOC, provided access to developmental programs and official Olympic Channel content, and most importantly, granted the opportunity to apply to participate in the games in the future.

The latter is the most important; the bestowing of the provisional status last week begins a three year provision period for the two sports. At any point during the next three years, as the New York Times reports, the IOC executives can vote to fully recognize cheerleading and Muay Thai for the Games, as they did with five other sports earlier this year, including karate, baseball/softball, and skateboarding.

The move is another effort to help the Olympic Games appeal to a younger demographic.

In addition to the new provisional sports, the IOC is announcing the 2017 launch of a year-round Olympics channel created in tandem with NBC and the U.S. Olympic Committee. The new channel will focus on the personal stories and biographies of Olympic-caliber athletes worldwide, and will air live and archival footage of the sports represented in the winter and summer Olympics and the Paralympics. It will reportedly launch in the latter half of 2017.

 

[HStallion]

No MOBAs? LoL and DotA were robbed.

 

[Trojita]

Top level Muay Thai and Karate will be crazy.

 

[HStallion]

Top level Muay Thai and Karate will be crazy.

I hope they don't give it some limiting and restrictive Olympics rule set though

 

[excelsiorlef]

Competitive Cheerleading is incredible and absolutely an artistic sport, exciting,

 

[zelas]

Muay Thai, yes please

 

[Fox318]

Sports that are judged on artistic merits always strike me as odd fit for the Olympics.

Who is to define what degree of difficulty is for each move?

At least in something like Boxing there are rounds and the only question that needs to be answered is "Which fighter won that round?".

 

[Fox318]

I hope they don't give it some limiting and restrictive Olympics rule set though

Muay Thai they are going to have to.

I can't see them doing it without headgear and with things like elbows and Knees to the head banned.

But who knows.

 

[Haly]

I could see olympic cheerleading being very intense with like 5 layer pyramids or some crazy ass shit.

Also I hope it's gender agnostic.

 

[Imperfected]

Is there a "sport" version of Muay Thai where people don't get demolished?

 

[Fried Food]

Oh man the Olympic channel sounds great. Hopefully I can buy a month of access during the next summer/winter games

 

[Fox318]

Is there a "sport" version of Muay Thai where people don't get demolished?

There is amateur Muay Thai.

I think these are banned

spinning elbows
cartwheel kicks
superman punches
jumping elbow strikes

 

[Palmer_v1]

Competetive cheerleading is basically just a team-based gymnastics floor routine.

I wonder if there'd be any cross-over with gymnasts, or if pre-existing teams would just compete for the spot.

 

[excelsiorlef]

I could see olympic cheerleading being very intense with like 5 layer pyramids or some crazy ass shit.

Also I hope it's gender agnostic.

It would have to be or there are no lofts.

 

[Haly]

It would have to be or there are no lofts.

What's a loft?

 

[mere_immortal]

Is competitive cheerleading like the end bit of Bring it On but crazier?

 

[shadow_shogun]

Competitive Cheerleading is incredible and absolutely an artistic sport, exciting,

If it's anything like it's portrayed in "Bring it on!", I would be interested in watching that in the Olympics.

 

[ISWThunder]

Good ideas but both sports have very hire rates of attrition. Knowing the IOC, they will make significant changes to the rules to make both sports safer, but then I dont see the point of having watered-down competitions that are easily surpassed by existing events. It's good that these sports will get more eyeballs, but will make for events that are less entertaining than they could be.

 

[excelsiorlef]

What's a loft?

*lifts ><

Is competitive cheerleading like the end bit of Bring it On but crazier?

If it's anything like it's portrayed in "Bring it on!", I would be interested in watching that in the Olympics.

https://youtu.be/qp0qPk-fnDE

Yes

It's intergender team gymnastics turned up to 11.

Imagine these but made up of the best of the best of each country.

 

[HarryDemeanor]

Well how about the slam dunk contest?

 

[Lkr]

Is competitive cheerleading a thing in other countries? For some reason I always imagine it as an American thing

 

[KO Traveling Hobo]

No MOBAs? LoL and DotA were robbed.

Just wait for the E-lympics.

 

[FinKL]

No MOBAs? LoL and DotA were robbed.

And Street Fighter

 

[see5harp]

It's weird as fuck to see cheerleaders at Korean baseball games.

 

[Hari Seldon]

Lol this is such a blatant ratings grab.

 

[Sephzilla]

I think these are banned

spinning elbows
cartwheel kicks
superman punches
jumping elbow strikes

 

[excelsiorlef]

Lol this is such a blatant ratings grab.

So?

That's part of the whole thing, roll with the "new" sports....

 

[TheMan]

Competetive cheerleading is basically just a team-based gymnastics floor routine.

Lol I was gonna post the same thing. It makes sense to include it. I'm surprised Muay Thai wasn't already included, seems like a no-brainer.

 

[ReAxion]

*lifts ><





https://youtu.be/qp0qPk-fnDE

Yes

It's intergender team gymnastics turned up to 11.

Imagine these but made up of the best of the best of each country.

that's hypnotic

Lol this is such a blatant ratings grab.

i bet they're even gonna sell advertising at a higher rate because there'll be higher ratings.

 

[Matty77]

I'm okay with this. The olympics could use some fresh sport and I have long argued cheerleaders are great athletes and as said previously in the thread has a lot in common with gymnastics.