Paris 2024: "the door is effectively closed for karate", confirms the IOC

Support from the sports ministry and deputies, open letter to Tony Estanguet, mobilization on social networks ... The world of karate has been trying everything for everything since the end of the Tokyo Games, well led by Steven Da Costa, just crowned champion Olympic under 67 kg, but the chances of seeing this discipline at the Paris Games in 2024 seem a little lower every day.

This Saturday, it was the sports director of the International Olympic Committee who reaffirmed it in an interview with AFP.

"The door is effectively closed for karate," said Kit McConnell, arguing the need to maintain a "balance" between traditional disciplines and growing disciplines.

"No change is possible"

The discipline allocation process "was done transparently" and ended before the Tokyo Olympics, in 2019. The organizers of the Paris Games had then proposed four new sports, but not karate.

"The goal is to give everyone certainties as soon as possible, so no change is possible since last year" concerning Paris, assures Kit McConnell.

Breaking, climbing, skateboarding and surfing were selected in February 2019 by Paris-2024 to offer them to the IOC.

Sports described as "young, accessible and connected with their time", in accordance with the words of Tony Estanguet, president of the organizing committee of the Games, who stressed this Monday on France Info the desire to highlight sports "which are a hit on social networks ”.

“These are excuses that annoy me a bit,” says Steven Da Costa.

“We are completely moving away from the values ​​of the Olympic Games, we are talking about money, audience, we are no longer talking about sport, so I understand the decision even less.

"

For his part, Kit McConnell rejects the argument of financial income.

"If the considerations were purely financial, we would choose sports capable of filling stadiums with 80,000 seats", he argues before noting that "certain traditional sports, such as athletics, gymnastics or swimming are still popular. very good television figures ”.

"Attract a younger audience"

"The four sports chosen for the Olympics-2024 bring a real balance to the Olympic program", he pleads.

“In Tokyo, team sports and combat sports in particular were well represented, but more urban sports brought a very different dynamic compared to traditional sports.

"

Another factor is usually taken into account: the medal potential of the host country in additional sports, which could have worked in favor of maintaining karate beyond the Tokyo Games.

But for the IOC, "the question goes far beyond the success of the host country of the Olympics, and winning a gold medal does not guarantee the presence of sport in the next edition".

However, nothing says that karate will not be able, in the future, to consider its return through a selection process that is repeated during each Olympiad.