THE Beijing Olympics may be over, but the long run-up to the London Olympics has begun. In 2012 baseball and softball will be dropped as Olympic events. Played by only a handful of countries, they join a long list of discontinued Olympic events. The 100m freestyle swim for sailors survived just one Olympics after being limited to sailors from the host country. If some other events are dropped—farewell to rhythmic gymnastics or synchronised swimming?—there might be space to bring back more unusual sports. Perhaps it is time again for live pigeon-shooting (in Trafalgar Square) or an old favourite, the tug-of-war.

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