How did this happen? Quietly and suddenly.
While it was known the IOC wanted to limit the number of athletes at the Summer Games – and still remain “relevant to sports fans of all generations” – it was thought modern pentathlon was in the most vulnerable position. The arcane sport steeped in a military background features five events, running, fencing, shooting, horseback riding and swimming, is not practised in as many countries as wrestling.
It does, however, come with friends in high places. Modern pentathlon has the backing of Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., the *** of the former IOC president, among others. The sport also knows how to play to its strengths outside the field of play.
A source told French news service AFP the IOC executive board vote had come down to wrestling and modern pentathlon and that it was “very close, maybe one or two votes separating them. The trouble was while modern pentathlon and tae kwon do did effective lobbying. Wrestling thought they were safe and did none at all.”
