Singapore (My Sportsbook) - The International Olympic Committee has decided to drop baseball and softball from the Summer Games program for 2012. The two sports will remain on the list of Olympic sports for the 2008 Games and will become eligible for inclusion for 2016. They became the first sports deleted from the Olympics since polo in 1936. A total of 28 existing sports were voted on and 26 were retained for 2012 with only baseball and softball excluded. The IOC Executive Board will convene later Friday and decide whether any of the five candidate sports, roller sports, world squash, golf, karate or rugby, should be put forward to the session for a vote to be included in 2012. London was awarded the 2012 Summer Games on Wednesday. Baseball has been an official Olympic sport since 1992, and Cuba has won the gold medal three times. The only time they lost was in 2000 in the final to the United States. Softball survived the IOC chopping block three years ago. It's been at the Summer Games three times with the U.S. winning all three tournaments. |
