Olympic Games:Modern pentathlon and taekwondo are considered most at risk as the International Olympic Committee prepares to axe one sport from its programme at its executive board meeting in Lausanne today.
Board members will vote on which sport to sacrifice, with golf and rugby sevens – due to make their respective Olympic debuts in Rio in 2016 – not eligible for expulsion.
The excluded sport will get a chance to reclaim its Olympic place as it will be automatically included on the list of hopefuls to be added for the 2020 Games, with a decision due at the IOC Session in Buenos Aires in September.
The sports already bidding for a 2020 place are squash, karate, wakeboarding, wushu, rollersports, rock-climbing and a joint bid by baseball and softball, sports excluded after the Beijing Games.
While modern pentathlon is seen as favourite to be axed, it retains support among some IOC elements due to its rich Olympic history, having been invented by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games.
Taekwondo is seen as vulnerable due to the strong claims of karate to be included.
