Paris 2024 - A Unique Opportunity
Dear Members, dear colleagues,
It was Nelson Mandela who said: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
In fact, for many decades now the WDSF and our members have succeeded in achieving the impossible, including:
* Government Sports recognition in most of our 90 member countries,
* Sports Funding at national level from some Governments and National Olympic Committees (NOCs),
* WDSF Member bodies receiving recognition from around 70 NOCs,
* WDSF recognition by GAISF,
* WDSF recognition as an International Sports Federation by the IOC,
* WDSF membership and entry to the International World Games Association (IWGA),
* WDSF membership and entry to the World Masters and European Masters Games, and
* WDSF proving to the IOC that we are a reliable and valuable partner by delivering three Breaking medal events for the first time at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Argentina.
Leading on from the incredible success of Breaking at the Youth Olympic Games last year, the WDSF continues to follow all opportunities that will help to develop all our disciplines to their fullest potential. In this regard, we are in the process of ensuring that all our main dance disciplines become “Games Ready”.
As some of you may know, the French media reported on 11 February that Breaking could eventually be proposed by the Paris 2024 Organising Committee to the IOC for inclusion as a medal event in their Olympic Programme. This would be part of a new process approved by the IOC Executive Board a few years ago, starting with Tokyo 2020, where Olympic Games host cities are given the flexibility to nominate a limited number of additional sports for inclusion in their edition of the Olympic Games only.
We expect an announcement by Paris 2024 to be made this Thursday, 21 February, and will keep you informed about this important matter. The IOC will take its final decision on the proposal of Paris 2024 at the end of June. The WDSF strongly believes that we are a reliable and perfect partner in the Olympic Movement that can add significant value at low cost to the IOC and a Summer Olympic Games.
Should Breaking eventually be included on the Paris 2024 Olympic Programme, it would be a fantastic achievement. New doors would open, visibility of all of our activities would increase significantly, and we could prove the value of our DanceSport community in its entirety as well as further build valuable relationships with NOCs and national governments for the good of our beautiful sport. We have the vision that it will also be possible for other disciplines to be included on the Olympic programme at a later stage.
At this point of time, there is no doubt that Breaking has the best chance of being considered as a medal event at a Summer Olympic Games. For all of us with the vision of getting our sport officially featured at the Games, let us celebrate Breaking’s possible inclusion and continue to work hard for the development of our other disciplines. Rest reassured that the WDSF Presidium is fully committed to do so.
Colleagues, this is a very important time in the history of our sport and we need to show how well we can all work together.
We expect that there will be a great deal of interest in this historic moment for the WDSF and as such, you may be approached for comment by your local media. Should you not feel comfortable replying, please direct any media request to us at media@wdsf.org.
Best regards,
Shawn Tay
WDSF President
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