Is skateboarding an Olympic-worthy sport? Social Sciences Essay

Running head: SKATEBOARDING IN OLYMPICS1
Is Skateboarding an Olympic-worth Sport?
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SKATEBOARDING IN OLYMPICS

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Is Skateboarding an Olympic-worth Sport?


Typically, Olympic Games invoke images of athleticism, achievement and championship. For as long s modern Olympic Games have been organized, millions watch for and expect scores of athletes competing to win medals yet also to represent home in as much honorable way as possible. The Olympic Games go, in fact, beyond a mere quadrennial event of international contest into a quasi-mythical collective dream of admirable athleticism, national pride and sense of camaraderie. In more recent years, heated debate, if not controversy, has grown over whether Olympic Games should change in any way compared to decades-long organization form and games and, more specifically, over whether any new games should be introduced. Indeed, Olympic Games have long been criticized as becoming more elitist and commercial – in a far cry from event's original message of fair and open competition for all. The excessive sponsorship campaigns of major sports companies and organizations, argue critics, are reshaping Olympic Games into a facade of athletic competition beyond which fierce commercial competition rages on. Unsurprisingly, skateboarding, schedule to be officially introduced into Olympic Games in 2020 (Capritto, 2019), now delayed to 2012 because of COVID-19, is under intense spotlight – and debate – between supporters and opponents. For supporters, Olympic Games, much watched and excepted by millions, is a perfect event to showcase skateboarding to viewers and possibly future skateboarders, an opportunity to make sponsorship and support more possible for a sport sustained only by independent initiatives. For opponents, however, Olympic Games are most likely to mute, if not completely eliminate, a sense of rebellion, counterculture and anti-capitalism skateboarding is all about. To put matters into perspective, arguments about whether skateboarding should be part of Olympic Games or not are discussed. For current
SKATEBOARDING IN OLYMPICS

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purposes, arguments against skateboarding as an Olympic Games sport are emphasized as


opposed to supporting arguments. This paper aims, accordingly, to argue against making


skateboarding part of Olympic Games and dismiss arguments for including skateboarding as a


staple in one of world's most watched and excepted events.


The confirmed announcement of introducing skateboarding into Olympic Games roster


of games and events has garnered cheers and applaud for a game long sidelined and practiced on streets and in parks (Capritto). Having a very visible venue such as Olympic Games does not only offer clear insights to outsiders about what skateboarding is all about yet also, perhaps more importantly, enable skateboarders worldwide to secure funding and sponsorship opportunities much needed to sustain skateboards and, perhaps, get skateboarding out of streets and parks and into each every place of practice possible. The Olympic Games, supporters argue, would also offer skateboarding a legitimacy ...