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Olympics 2024: Breakdancing confirmed as new sport for Paris games
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Olympics branded a ‘mockery’ after inclusion of breakdancing for
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Breakdancing to make its Olympic debut at Paris 2024
Olympics branded a ‘mockery’ after inclusion
of breakdancing for Paris Games
- ‘I don’t understand,’ says squash great Michelle Martin
- Australian has lobbied for squash to be included for years
World Urban Games in Budapest last year. Photograph: Little
Shao/Reuters
Australian squash great Michelle Martin says
the Olympic Games have become a “mockery” after breakdancing was
added to the program for Paris 2024.
Australia’s three-time world champion’s
immediate reaction to learning squash had been overlooked yet
again, this time in favour of breakdancing was “oh my god”.
“You just look at the whole thing and you
just go ‘where’s the Olympics going?’ I know some people say
breakdancing’s a sport but … I don’t understand,” Martin told
AAP.
added to Paris 2024 Olympic Games
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“The Olympics was all about a score, or it
was a running race. There was a definitive answer and results to
sports. You bring in all these judging things and it just gets so
corrupt and so out of control. I just don’t get it anymore.”
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Squash has been lobbying hard,
unsuccessfully, for decades to be included at the Olympics. But not
even support from tennis star Roger Federer has been able to give
squash a look-in.
Before breakdancing, officially named
“breaking” beat it, squash has lost out to sports including
skateboarding, sport climbing, BMX, surfing, golf and wushu, which
was trialled in Beijing in 2008.
As heartbroken as she is, Martin – who also
won six British Opens, the Wimbledon of squash – is no longer
surprised.
“After the last ones, you get to the point
where it’s almost expected,” the former long-time world No 1 said.
“Why? I don’t know because the amount of effort squash players put
in.
“I know what it was like, training for the
sport. It’s one of the hardest sports to train for and play.
They’ve obviously got something against squash, because it’s been
rejected in the past, it just keeps getting overlooked. I don’t
know, I don’t know what to say.”
The 53-year-old has lost all hope of squash
ever gaining Olympic status, especially when the IOC has opted for
breakdancing on this occasion.