The eight candidate sports of baseball/softball, karate, roller sports, sport climbing, squash, wakeboarding, wrestling and wushu are campaigning for a single spot on the sports programme at the 2020 Olympic Games.

All eight are due to make their crucial presentations to the IOC Executive Board at their meeting in St Petersburg on May 29, where each bid will be given a 30 minute time slot to make their case.

Following the presentations, the Executive Board will announce which of the eight sports will be shortlisted for the final vote in Buenos Aires on September 9, where the full IOC membership are due to decide on which sport will be included at the 2020 Olympics.

It has been suggested by experts that just three sports would be shortlisted for the Session in Buenos Aires but Bach, the front-runner to be elected as the new IOC President in September, claimed no firm decision has been made.


"The President [Jacques Rogge] has not said how many of the sports will be shortlisted in St Petersburg," Bach told insidethegames.

"It is something that we will most likely discuss following the presentations.

"In my opinion, I don't think we should have an exact number that we should shortlist because I think we should be flexible.

"If the presentations are good enough and the bid has enough strength, I see no reason why we shouldn't take it through to the next stage.

"So it is my opinion that we should show flexibility in shortlisting the sports but obviously this will be something that we will discuss as a Board and the President's wishes will also be very important in deciding this."

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