EXCLUSIVE

Skateboard legend Tony Hawk is calling out the old folks who run the Olympics ... saying they need to wake the hell up and add his sport – if they know what’s good for 'em.

When we asked Tony about the International Olympic Committee's plan to drop wrestling from the Summer Games to add another sport, he said ... "Well to be honest, at this point the summer Olympics needs skateboarding more than skateboarding needs them."

"They need the excitement [the Winter Games has] with snowboarding."

He added, the Summer Olympics are desperate for younger viewers ... so skateboarding could be a quick fix.

Of course, there are a slew of sports competing for the spot -- among them baseball/softball, karate, squash, wakeboarding and wushu -- but the IOC won't decide anything until the final vote in September. Of course, there are a slew of sports competing for the spot -- among them baseball/softball, karate, squash, wakeboarding and wushu -- but the IOC won't decide anything until the final vote in September.

Tony says, "I think if the IOC gets a clue they're gonna put skateboarding in" by 2020.