There were 32 sports at the 2024 Paris Olympics, or a rise of 41% since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. It's simply too much. The International Olympic Committee (OIC) is trying to make the Summer Olympics more relevant in the 21st century, but less is more. Which sports must be let go? We'll go to that (interesting) part later. Here's our next question: Why is cue sports in Olympics is not included in the program? It will never be.
Cue sports, pool and snooker in particular, are popular in many parts of the world. The World Pool Association (WPA) is the international governing body for pool. WPA launched the World Pool Championships in 1990, becoming one of the major events in the world of billiards. However, WPA couldn't give pool, and other cue sports, a push. If it did, it might not be influential enough.
In other words, it would come down to money. Matchroom, a UK-based sporting event promotions company, promotes the World Cup of Pool, World Pool Masters, and the Mosconi Cup. It should be a matter of when. Right? Not really.
There are many factors to consider before the OIC decides that this sport is good enough to be included in the Olympic program. In the case of pool, or cue sports, we narrow the reasons to three:
Generation Z? Why not! The OIC wants the Summer Olympics to be more relevant, so they reach out to Gen Z. It shouldn't be surprising that breakdancing, or breaking, would make its debut in the 2024 Paris Olympics. As the opening ceremony would show, the French are known for trying to be different. And very creative. Breaking seems to fit that concept, but the outcome confounded the organizers.
Australia's Rachael Gunn, or RayGun, drew flak from her Olympic performance. Many social media netizens cringed at her moves, resulting in lots of memes. The future of breaking becomes uncertain after that unwanted attention, which should lead to billiards or cue sports. Most of the cue players look old. And it's been that way. Will the (Gen Z) sports fan find it appealing? Will they look for another sport?
Location. The inclusion, or non-inclusion, of baseball in the Olympic program depends on where the Summer Olympics will be held. The best European teams can't challenge the American teams, all of whom aren't Major League Baseball (MBL) players. Yet.
To make a long story short, it's pointless to include baseball in the 2024 Paris Games. It would make a comeback in the 2028 Los Angeles Games, and baseball fans are looking forward to it. Let's fast forward to the 2036 Summer Olympics. Many sports fans think that it would be logical to stage the quadrennial multi-sports event in Asia after Paris, Los Angeles, and Brisbane would host it. Indonesia bid for the right to host the 2032 Summer Olympics, but the OIC awarded the rights to Brisbane.
The Indonesian Olympic Committee won't give up, as it intends to bid on the hosting of the 2036 Olympics. It would face some serious competition, though. Istanbul is one of the possible host cities, Ahmedabad as well. Seoul, where the 1988 Summer Olympics was held, seemed interested. And then Saudi Arabia. The OIC will make that huge decision in 2029, if not days before the opening of the 2030 Winter Olympics.
The likelihood of billiards making its debut (as a medal sport) is high because the contesting countries come from Asia. Billiards is a medal sport in the Southeast Asian Games. If Indonesia is awarded the rights to host the 2036 Summer Olympics, then the Indonesian Olympic Committee will be generous to billiards powerhouses like the Philippines.
Money, money, money. Cue sports in Olympics should've been a reality earlier (after Matchroom started promoting the major pool events). But it might require more.
The 2025 Southeast Asian Games will be held in Thailand, and billiard is one of the medal sports. The Olympic Committee of Asia (OIA) didn’t think that billiard, or snooker, would fit in the sports program of the 2026 Asian Games. But breaking is. The 2026 Asian Games will be held in Nagoya, Japan. Ami Yuasa, who hails from Kawaguchi, is the gold medal winner in the B-Girls category in Paris.
Billiards (or snooker). We explained why.
Swimming. It's the marquee event during the first week of the Summer Olympics. And rightly so. Michael Phelps used to draw the crowd. It's Leon Marchand's turn.
3x3 basketball. We can't get enough of billiard balls game (or its variations)
Breaking. The Los Angeles Olympic Committee (finally!) saw the light.
Equestrian. It's so medieval. And looks uppity. Don't you think?
Sailing. We weren't thrilled. We couldn't relate to the participants. How many of you own a boat?
Your thoughts?
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