A lack of global appeal certainly won't be an obstacle for either discipline in getting to the Olympics. Karate is practiced by more than 100 million athletes in 180 countries, while wushu, known in some circles as kung fu, is most famous for being the preferred fighting style of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and, of course, Kung Fu Panda. Additionally, competitive wushu, according to a 2008 report by China Daily, has metamorphosed over the years into "a graceful art similar to gymnastic floor exercises"—gymnastic floor exercises with "full-contact sparring," "punching maneuvers," and "flashy Chinese sabers," that is. In other words, concerns over TV appeal sit squarely between slim and none.

Both martial arts would be relatively cheap additions to the Olympic program; competitions can be held in the same arenas as gymnastics and other martial arts events. Its global following could mean an opportunity for smaller nations to medal. And if Tokyo is chosen over Istanbul and Madrid to host the 2020 Games, karate may enjoy a special home-country advantage at the selection stage.

What's working against them: The Summer Olympics already awards medals in judo and tae kwon do—to include a third martial art might seem excessive to some IOC voters. Many also blamed the World Karate Federation's moratorium on member clubs associating with non-members for karate's failures to be admitted as a medal sport in the past.

ROLLER SPORTS



AP

Why they're a contender: A sport group that includes rink hockey, inline hockey, inline speed skating, artistic roller skating, and, perhaps most notably, roller derby, the roller sports category's bid for the Olympics has garnered more than a few eye-rolls along the way. But before you scoff, consider this: One crucial feature that roller derby in particular brings to the table is its popularity among women. The sport has sobered up its image since its hot-pants era in the 1960s, and its revamped, feminism-aligned popularity in recent years (as emphasized by films like Whip It and Derby, Baby!) continues to spread to women across North America and Europe. Some might even say, too, that the Olympics committee owes one to the world of female-fueled sports—the IOC did, after all, eliminate softball after the 2008 Games.

What's working against it: Like squash, roller sports may be passed over for profit-margin reasons: As CNN's Paul Gittings pointed out in 2009, the IOC doesn't stand much of a chance to make money off of roller sports. Many roller derby leagues, too, maintain a lingering penchant for outlandish costumes and bawdy nicknames—so it may still be awhile before the IOC deems the sport suitably rehabilitated for international play.

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

Reuters

Why it's a contender: Few developing sports enjoy the sweeping international appeal that mixed martial arts, or MMA, does. Developed in the mid-'80s in Japan, the aggressive full-combat sport rapidly made its way across the Pacific; by 1993, MMA had found its audience in the arenas (and the Pay-Per-View channels) of the United States. Because of its combination of elements from hand-to-hand combat traditions from all over the world, mixed martial arts training centers then began to spring up in all corners of the globe: today, Brazil, India, Russia, the Phillippines, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, and others are home to thriving MMA bases.