Will breaking be at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles?
PARIS (KNWA) — Breaking (or breakdancing) made its Olympic debut in Paris during the last two full days of competition, but don't get used to seeing it on the Olympic stage regularly.
The sport has garnered significant social media attention in its short time in the spotlight but for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, breaking is not in the lineup of sports.
In October 2023, the World DanceSport Federation released a statement after it was announced breaking would not be included in the 2028 Games.
WDSF said the decision was made by the LA28 organizing committee and that local organizers since the Tokyo 2020 Olympics have been given the right to propose new sports for their Games.
“It’s up to each local organizing committee to determine which [additional] sports to put forward that fit with their vision of the Games. Obviously, Breaking fit very clearly with Paris’ vision of a very youth-focused urban engagement,” IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell said in a press briefing ahead of the ongoing 141st IOC Session in Mumbai, India.
For the Tokyo Games, baseball-softball, surfing, skateboarding, karate and sport climbing were selected. Paris chose skateboarding, breaking, sport climbing and surfing.
LA28 is choosing to bring back baseball and softball and add lacrosse, cricket, squash and flag football.
Cricket and lacrosse will return to the Olympics for the first time since 1900 and 1908. Baseball and softball will return to the international stage after being dropped from the Olympics after the Beijing Games in 2008 but made a one-off return in 2020.
Flag football and squash will make their Olympic debuts in Los Angeles.
In addition to the new and returning sports being added some existing sports will see changes.
The modern pentathlon will be held in Los Angeles but the horse jumping event will be replaced with obstacle course racing.
Boxing will also be held despite not having a governing body recognized by the IOC after it withdrew the International Boxing Association's recognition in 2023.
WDSF said it is working hard to ensure that breaking will be included in the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane, citing the example of baseball and softball not being in the 2024 Games but returning in 2028.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.