By Humberto Viera
22 Jul 2024, 11:31 AM EDT
Motorsport, despite being one of the most popular and demanding sports in the world, is still not part of the official Olympic programme. This exclusion is mainly due to prejudices related to the mechanical nature of the sport, where some argue that it is not a “blood-powered” activity.
Some critics also argue that it is a very expensive sport, has many categories and does not depend 100% on the driver. However, motor racing is no stranger to the Olympic Games and both have a story of “impossible love” that dates back more than 120 years.
As reported by Infobae, throughout the modern history of the Olympic Games (128 years), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has only allowed motor racing events on four occasions, all of them as exhibitions:
- 1900 (Paris): 1,347 km car and motorcycle race in three stages.
- 1936 (Germany): Two rally races as a complement to the Games.
- 1972 (Munich): “Olympia Rally”, a 3,500 km race that linked Kiel and the Olympic Stadium.
- 1992 (Barcelona): Spanish F1 Grand Prix at the Barcelona-Catalonia Circuit.
Those who support the inclusion of motor racing in the Olympics point out that there are other disciplines that also use vehicles, such as sailing or cycling. They also highlight the physical preparation that high-level sport requires, with drivers enduring up to 6.5 degrees of G force in races such as F1.
In 2012, the FIA was recognised by the IOC for sharing “Olympic sporting values”, rekindling hopes that motorsport would have an official place at future Games. A concrete step in this direction was the inclusion of karting as an exhibition at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires.
According to Reuters, motorsport is currently among the candidates to be included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The final decision will be made by the IOC in October 2023.
Keep reading:
–Unusual and surreal penalty awarded during Brazilian league match [Video]
–“I hope I never comment again”: ESPN commentator is torn apart for controversial opinion on a player’s physical appearance
–A miniseries dedicated to the life of the legend Ayrton Senna will be released on Netflix