Golf in Olympic Games 2016
Golf is set to become an Olympic Games Sport again in 2016,
but be warned, there are hurdles along the way.
Golf could re-appear as an Olympic Games Sport event in 2016 after more than 100 years but there are some conflicting views whether the event should feature Golf's leading Pro's or just amateurs. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) insists for only the top professionals to take part to merit the sport's return. This feeling was originally shared by the International Golf Federation (IGF), which is appears to be keen to re-introduce Golf at the summer Olympic Games of 2016. Recently the Golf's professional and amateur Sport bodies have joined forces in a bid to reappear as an Olympic sport. Also PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem believes it should be back in the Olympics, as he wrote recently in his blog on the PGA Tour website. Golf has, after losing it's Olympic sport status in 1904, like many other sports, not been on the official Olympic calendar ever since that year. Some even believe Olympic Golf will never happen again. Under the umbrella of the International Golf Federation (IGF), an Olympic committee will prepare and promote golf's attempt to claim one of two spots available at the 2016 summer Games. "This will not be plain sailing and we have much work ahead of us," Royal and Ancient Golf Club (R&A) chief executive Peter Dawson, who is also joint secretary of the IGF, said during a news conference at Royal Birkdale on Wednesday 16th July 2008 during "The Open", which was won later that week by Padraig Harrington. "Stiff competition but we do feel we're putting together the right organisation to get the job done. "It's been made very clear to us on several occasions by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) that if golf is to be in the Olympics, it has to be for the top players in the world. Golf will not get in if it's to be for amateurs. "What we are here to announce today is that the amateur and professional games have come together to speak with one voice to impress upon the Olympic movement that golf is serious about wanting to join the Games." The IGF's Olympic committee represents the R&A, the United States Golf Association, the LPGA, the PGA Tour, the European Tour, Augusta National Golf Club and the PGA of America. Ty Votaw of the PGA Tour will serve as the committee's executive director until the IOC selects the two sports for 2016. "We have a lot of work ahead between now and the time the IOC makes its decision in October of 2009," Votaw said Golf is doing battle with softball, rugby, karate, squash, baseball and roller sports for one of a possible two available places as a new sport event in the 2016 summer Games. This limited number of possible new events is because the maximum number of Olympic events has been set at 28. Only when a vacancy comes up, the Executive Board will decide whether the applicant sports will be considered for a new future Olympic Games Event. In 2007, a new voting system was approved. Now it only takes an outright majority in votes for a sport to be voted into the Olympic Games program. Before that time, it could only be achieved by achieving a two-thirds majority in the IOC vote. The two-thirds majority procedure was adjusted following widespread criticism of the extended procedures at the IOC session in Singapore, where members had to vote individually on each of the 28 sports.
The IOC will, in December 2008 send out application form to the 7 sport federations. The replies are expected to be returned in the 1st quarter of 2009. Upon receipt of these applications to become a new sport event, the IOC sub commission will then prepare a report in which they assess the seven sports. This report should be ready in April 2009. After that, in June 2009, the leaders of the seven sports will be invited to make a presentation to the IOC executive board in Lausanne, Switzerland. The executive board will then submit the finished proposals to the IOC who will meet in full in Copenhagen to decide which sports to include. Therefore the decision whether to add Golf as a new Olympic Games event is to be expected at the International Olympic Committee session in Copenhagen on 2nd October 2009. It is common practice that the new sport program gets fixed seven years in advance of each Olympic Games. The IOC will also select the 2016 host city during the Copenhagen session. Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, Chicago and Tokyo are among the leading contenders.
Baseball and Softball have both been lobbying very hard for a return as a new sport event at the Olympics. They were voted off the program by the IOC in Singapore in 2005. As a result of this lobbying both sports will now be played at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Nevertheless they will be absent in London Summer Olympic Games of 2012. Both softball and baseball missed out with the narrowest of votes in the Singapore vote, respectively just 1 and 3 votes. After these two sports were dropped, the IOC also rejected golf and the other four hopefuls to get Olympic status. As a result of this decision, London will only have 26 instead of the usual maximum of 28 events. The narrow voting situation on Baseball and Softball was not the only reason why Golf was not voted in. Sources from within the IOC have indicated that the IOC thought that the leaders in the world of Golf were not strongly enough committed to the compulsory doping control at ALL Olympic Sport Events. This issue is been addressed by PGA and european tour leaders by making tentative steps towards doping control at Golf tournaments. If Golf is to stand a chance to become an Olympic Games Sport again, it knows it has softball and baseball as major competitors. Hopefully it will also meet IOC's expectations on Drugs control on time as well, as it would appear this has been the biggest reason why the IOC has been reluctant to allow Golf back as an Olympic Sport Event in the last 25 years.
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