(L-R) Karate, sport climbing and dance sport will be added to the program for the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games.





Three new sports have been added to the program of the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games. Dance sport, karate and sport climbing join the 28 sports on the existing program. The decision was announced Tuesday by the IOC Executive Board.

Two of the sports, karate and sport climbing, were added to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games program at the IOC meeting four months ago in Rio de Janeiro, while dance sport is a newcomer to Olympic competition.

Continuing its effort to build youth engagement in the Olympic movement, the three new sports reflect a mix of emerging, universal and urban sports that appeal to a younger audience. The three sports will be integrated into the Urban Park and Youth Olympic Park.

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Buenos Aires marks the first time complete gender equality has been achieved at an Olympic event and the three new sports will follow suit.

Dance sport will be competed as men’s, women’s and mixed team breakdancing in a battle format. Kumite, a combat form of karate, will feature three events per gender, while the three climbing disciplines – lead, bouldering and speed – will be staged in a combined event for both men and women.

The IOC also granted provisional recognition to the international federations for muay thai (a combat sport of Thailand) and cheerleading, two of 16 sports that applied. IOC recognition of a sport’s international federation is required for addition to the Olympic program.