(Newser)
–
The pentathlon looked most likely to get the ax in a review of the 26 Olympic sports, but it's wrestling that's been cut from the 2020 Games. Dropping a sport allows the International Olympic Committee to pick one up for that year—and now, wrestling will be competing with baseball and softball, karate, squash, and other sports for the coveted spot.
IOC members will meet in May to propose a sport and they'll vote on the matter in September. Wrestling is one of the Olympics' oldest sports, the AP notes. The IOC reviewed factors ranging from TV ratings and ticket sales to doping rules as it made its decision; subjective criteria like politics and personal taste also played a role in the decision by 15 commission members. Pentathlon officials made a big push to keep their sport on the program.
