I was hoping that I would be writing a very different article than this one. I was hoping that squash would claim a place in the 2020 Olympics. (That isn't about wrestling as much as it's about squash. I'm happy for wrestling, and at the same time, sad for squash.) However, it was wrestling that was victorious and reclaimed its place in the Olympics. It beat out squash and a combined softball and baseball bid, for both the 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics.
How did wrestling do it?
They persuaded the Olympic committee that they can appeal to a diverse, modern audience. Wrestling is one of the very, very, very first Olympic games, way back in 708 B.C. To be fair, they have made changes: they kicked out their president, simplified the rules, added weight classes for women and are looking at ways to improve their presentation (different color mats and restyling the singlet).
The Voting
Wrestling won with 49 votes. Baseball/softball came in second with 24. Squash ended up in last place with 22 votes.
The 2020 Summer Olympics will be held in Tokyo, Japan.
Which sport did you want to see make it into the next Olympics?
Which Sport Made it into the 2020 Olympics?
