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		Longfei Newsletter Volume 7 Issue 1

Wushu at the Olympics 2008

Dr Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced a pleasant surprise in Nanjing, China to Wushu officials and the Chinese sport officials who were present at the opening ceremony of the Sixth Art Exhibition of Sports in China on 14 October. Dr Rogge was attending China's 10th National Games in Nanjing.

President Rogge said that there will be Wushu competition during the Olympic Games. It will not be one of the official 28 sports but we will organise a Wushu competition with BOCOG (the Beijing Organising Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad).

However, he did not clarify if Wushu will be regarded as a demonstration sport like taekwondo and tennis, which were earlier demonstration sports and have now become official events at Olympic Games. While medals will be awarded for demonstration sports, they will not count towards the official tally of nations. In 2002, the IOC decided to cap the number of Olympic sports at 28.

When Beijing won the right to host the 2008 Games, the International Wushu Federation (IWUF) applied to the IOC in December 2001 to include Wushu in the 2008 Olympics. The IOC turned down the proposal but kept the door open for it to be a representation sport. Now we see that wushu will have some form of existence at the games.

Ray Smith

President British Council for Chinese Martial Arts

Extract from November 2005 BCCMA Newsletter

Longfei Newsletter Volume 7 Issue 1 Table of Contents