“Are You F**King Kidding”: Fans Outraged After IO Denies Kickboxing and Muay Thai for 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles
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BEIJING, CHINA – FEBRUARY 15: Max Parrot of Team Canada performs a trick during the Men’s Snowboard Big Air final on Day 11 of the Beijing Winter Olympics at Big Air Shougang on February 15, 2022 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles won’t feature kickboxing and Muay Thai. The Olympic hosts considered these sports among seven others for addition. Every four years, Olympic hosts have the option to add new sports to the core 28. In the past, the 2020 Tokyo Games added sports like surfing, skateboarding, and sport climbing.
For the 2028 Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) chose softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse, and squash. Roy Baker, WAKO’s president, expressed his feelings to Inside the Games. He said he felt both disappointed and proud because the committee shortlisted kickboxing. He attributed the quick shortlisting to kickboxing being a young, evolving sport. However, fans have reacted with outrage to this decision.
Fans call the Olympics a “joke” based on their verdict
Unlike long-standing Olympic combat sports like boxing, wrestling, judo, taekwondo, and karate, kickboxing and Muay Thai have never been part of the Olympics or Youth Olympics. However, Baker is confident that this will shift in the years to come.
As he told Inside the Games, “We take immense pride and positive energy in the fact that kickboxing, being a relatively young Olympic sport, was shortlisted so quickly. This serves as a testament to the sport’s evolution over the past 20 years, thanks to its growing participation levels and increased media presence on a global scale, alongside the growth of our national federations in every continent.”
However, fans are expressing strong disappointment and skepticism about the Olympics. One fan was outright incredulous, questioning the decision-making of the Olympic Committee.
Are you fucking kidding
— CJS (@CJSHOWWW) October 13, 2023
Another fan dismissed the Olympics as only useful for track and field events, implying it’s a joke.
The olympics are a joke. Only good for keeping times in track and field.
— Mason (@VeVeins) October 13, 2023
Transitioning to the quality of combat sports, a third fan criticized Olympic versions of Taekwondo and boxing as watered-down point sparring, suggesting they’d rather watch fights in any other setting.
In all fairness, have you seen what Olympic TKD and boxing look like? They're basically reduced to point sparring. I'll watch anyone fight anywhere for any reason but I can do without watered down versions of my favourite sports.
— clitoris allsorts (@ogopogopotato) October 13, 2023
Building on the financial aspect, a fourth follower argued that countries would get more value from investing in UFC site fees than in hosting the Olympics.
Countries are better of spending their money on UFC site fees than hosting the Olympics
— Michael M. Araneta (@DodymicCora) October 13, 2023
Furthermore, a fan concluded that the Olympics lack a true understanding of what constitutes real entertainment. Overall, the fans seem united in their belief that the Olympics is missing the mark on multiple fronts.
the Olympics doesn't know what Real Entertainment is
— Kraz (@Kraz69420) October 13, 2023
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Kickboxing and Muay Thai won’t make their Olympic debut in 2028, leaving fans questioning the Games’ ability to entertain and stay relevant. While the sports world evolves, the Olympics seem to lag behind, missing opportunities to include young, dynamic sports. However, there’s a silver lining: the sports’ shortlisting shows potential for future inclusion.
So, what are your thoughts about this decision? Tell us in the comment section below!
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Written by:
Edited by:
Gokul Pillai