How on earth does a sport make it into the Olympic Games?

　　Q: What organizations are involved in making a sport into the Olympic Games?

　　A: Mainly four organizations are involved in the process. They are the International Federations (IFs), National Governing Bodies (NGBs), National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Olympic Committee (IOC).<注1>

　　IFs and NGBs operate their sports on the international and national levels in regard to eligibility, rules and championships<注2>. An IF is an autonomous organization<注3> and is responsible for the governance of its sport on the international level. The IFs conduct the events in their respective sports at the Olympic Games, as well as in other international competitions, working in conjunction with NOCs and IOC.

　　Q: What are the functions of IFs and NGBs?

　　A: Each IF establishes its own eligibility rules for its sport. An IF can have one set of eligibility rules for the Olympic Games, which must be approved by the International Olympic Committee, and another set of rules for all other international competitions (i.e. world championships). As a general rule, there is a single federation governing each Olympic sport, except that one IF governs both speed skating and figure skating, and another federation governs the sports of biathlon and modern pentathlon.<注4>

　　IFs also select judges, referees<注5> and other technical officials for international competitions, including the Olympic Games. The IF is responsible for resolving all technical issues, such as officiating disputes.

　　Each IF recognizes a single National Governing Body (NGB) in each country participating in the sport. An NGB must be an organization which has its membership open to all athletes in its country. It must also have its membership open to all national organizations concerned with promoting the sport.

　　Each NGB is responsible for approving or sanctioning competitions open to all athletes in its country. Approved or sanctioned competitions are conducted under the rules of the NGB.

　　Q: What is the precondition for a sport to be added to the Olympic Games?

　　A: Insgroupsfor a sport to be added to the Olympic Games program, the respective IF must first gain recognition from the IOC as a federation organized under the principles of the IOC’s charter. Second, the federation must prove that the men’s or mixed or“open”sports<注6> are being“widely practiced”(national championships, world championships, international competitions) in at least 75 countries and four continents. For women’s sports, the requirement is at least 40 countries and three continents.

　　These rules has applied to sports since the 1996 Olympic Games program, but tougher criteria began to put into action starting in the year 2000. Only sports widely practiced by men and/or women in at least 25 countries and three continents may be included in the program of the Olympic Winter Games.

　　Q: Will the sport be played right after being admitted to the Olympic program?

　　A: Sports that are admitted to the Olympic program cannot be played at the Olympic Games until seven years after their admittance.

　　Q: Will there be any revision to the sport?

　　A: The IOC reviews the Olympic program after each Olympic Games (winter and summer) and reserves the right to update standards for the admission or the deletion of sports, disciplines or events. An IF can make proposals to the IOC concerning the revision and development of the events in its own sport, and recommend the addition or deletion of an event on the program of the Olympic Games.