Breakdancing Won't Be An Olympic Sport At LA 2028 But Not For The Reason You're Thinking
It was actually a decision made years ago.
By Tamara Jayne — 14 Aug 2024, 11:36 AM
Breakdancing made its Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Games, but it won't be returning for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics
The inclusion of breakdancing as an Olympic sport sparked criticism from some viewers, particularly in response to the performance of Australian competitor Rachael Gunn, known as Raygun.
The 36-year-old went viral for her unorthodox routine, which featured moves like the kangaroo hop and the sprinkler.
Despite her best efforts, Gunn did not score a single point in any of her three battles during the competition.
"I was never going to beat these girls on what they do best, the dynamic power moves," she said, according to The Washington Post.
"So I wanted to move differently. I wanted to do something artistic and creative. Because how many chances can you get in a lifetime to do that on the international stage?"
However, it's important to note that the decision to exclude breakdancing from the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics was not influenced by this controversy
In fact, the decision had already been made years before the Paris Olympics even began.
Breaking first appeared on the Olympic stage at the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires in 2018. It was a test event to gauge the popularity and suitability of the sport for the Olympic stage.
Based on the positive reception, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to include breakdancing as an official sport in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Olympic committee has a system where sports are introduced on a trial basis, with their inclusion in future Games evaluated afterward
In 2022, the International Olympic Committee initially announced that 28 sports had been approved for the LA Games and breaking was not on the list.
Then, in 2023, the IOC approved five additional sports: baseball/softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse (sixes), and squash.
During a press briefing that year, IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell explained, "It's up to each local organising committee to determine which [additional] sports to put forward that fit with their vision of the Games.
"Obviously breaking fit very clearly with Paris' vision of a very youth-focused urban engagement."
The governing body of breaking, World DanceSport Federation (WDSF), also issued a statement last year addressing the sport's exclusion from the LA 2028 Olympics.
"While profoundly disappointed with the LA28 decision, the WDSF is proud of all that it has accomplished, together with the breaking community, in an extremely short amount of time," the statement reads, noting the organisation's "strong" relationship with the IOC.
This isn't the first time a sport has been included in one Olympic Games only to be excluded from the next
For instance, baseball-softball and karate were featured in Tokyo 2020 but were dropped for Paris 2024.
The WDSF has hinted that breakdancing might make a comeback at the Brisbane 2032 Olympics, though, as of now, it's not slated for inclusion in LA 2028.
