Golf, six other sports make their pitches to the IOC
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Seven sports made their pitches today to an International Olympic Committee panel in Lausanne, Switzerland, to be included in the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Each sport made an hourlong presentation, making the case that their sports have a worldwide audience and appeal to young people.
Baseball, softball, karate, rugby, roller sports, squash and golf are competing for two spots for the 2016 Games. None of those sports got enough votes for inclusion in the 2012 Games in a vote three years ago; baseball and softball were dropped from the Olympics schedule at that time.
Golf was represented by PGA Tour executive Ty Votaw, a former commissioner of the LPGA, and the presentation included the kind of video production the PGA Tour is known for -- slick and on point. The video ends with a pitch from Tiger Woods, probably the best-known athlete in the world, and has an international representation that at least speaks to that part of the IOC’s mandate.
-- Mike James
Top photo credit: Smiley N. Pool / Associated Press
