LA28 Confirms Aquatics Return to Olympic Lineup, Along with Surfing Skateboarding and Climbing

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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games (LA28) sport program at their February meeting and announced that surfing, skateboarding and sport climbing will join the roster in 2028 in the U.S.

This is the first step toward building out the full program of events that will make up the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The announcement also confirmed many of the returning sports in the lineup, including aquatics, which includes swimming, diving, artistic swimming and water polo, as well as triathlon.

“The LA28 Games have always been about bringing more freshness, youthful energy and creativity into the Olympic and Paralympic movement. Los Angeles is a place unlike any other and it will be incredible to host surfing, skateboarding and climbing as iconic West Coast sports alongside Olympic fan favorites,” said LA28 Chairperson Casey Wasserman.

As prototypical Southern California activities, surfing, skateboarding and sport climbing made their Olympic debut in Tokyo in 2021, and will be included in the “additional” list for Paris in 2024.

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Keeping the new sports around for 2028 represents another step toward cementing their place among more traditional events, especially in attempts to attract younger viewers and fans.

“We have always known that surfing was a natural fit for LA28,” Fernando Aguerre, president of the sport’s international federation told the LA Times. “As the official sport of California, surfing is action, youth and energy combined.”

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