After a thorough review of the 26 “core sports” on the current Olympic program, the IOC board voted to eliminate wrestling from the 2020 games. With roots in the inaugural modern Olympics—which took place in Athens in 1896—it is one of the oldest sports in the program to get the boot. The move was a necessary decision in order for the executive board to add an additional sport later in the year. A spokesman for the program said the choice was not meant to be a slam on the sport itself. “It’s not a case of what’s wrong with wrestling, it is what’s right with the 25 core sports,” he said. The decision was reportedly the result of multiple rounds of voting using “secret ballots.” The most recent sports that got the ax were baseball and softball, removed in 2005.
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