The two sports were in the closer selection among seven other sports proposed to be in the program for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Every four years, Olympic hosts are given the opportunity to add provisional sports to the core 28 sports that are included in every Olympic Games. For example, surfing, skateboarding, and sport climbing were added as part of the 2020 games in Toyko.
Ultimately, softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse, and squash have been chosen by the International Olympic Committee for LA28.
WAKO (The World Association of Kickboxing Organizations) president Roy Baker talked to Olympic news website 'Inside the Games' and believes the sport has still made a commendable step toward Olympic recognition.
"We were naturally disappointed not to be selected for LA28. However, we take immense pride and positive energy in the fact that kickboxing, being a relatively young Olympic sport, was shortlisted so quickly. This serves as a testament to the sport's evolution over the past 20 years, thanks to its growing participation levels and increased media presence on a global scale, alongside the growth of our national federations in every continent.
While other combat sports such as boxing, wrestling, judo, taekwondo & karate have a long tradition at the games, kickboxing and Muay Thai have never appeared at Olympics or Youth Olympics. Baker firmly believes that will change in the future.
"My team and I firmly believe that kickboxing is one of the most dynamic, exciting and modern combat sports in the world, destined to rightfully take its place at the Summer Games in the future."
