Skateboarding, climbing, surfing part of initial sports program for 2028 LA Olympics

The sports of skateboarding, sports climbing and surfing that first featured at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics have been included in the initial sports program for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, the International Olympic Committee said on Thursday.

But weightlifting, boxing and modern pentathlon did not make the cut of the initial 28 sports and must meet certain criteria in 2023 to be included, IOC President Thomas Bach told an online news conference at the end of an executive board meeting.

An IOC session in February will approve the initial program. The three sports that are left out will be up for re-inclusion at the IOC session in 2023.

They are already a part of the program for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

For weightlifting and boxing their exclusion is a major blow as the international federations struggle with governance, finance and corruption issues and have been repeatedly warned by the IOC to reform or risk their Olympic spots.

Both will need to show improvement in terms of financial transparency and governance to get back into the Olympics.

Modern pentathlon, part of the Games for more than a century, must provide plans for a replacement to horses in the competition following a scandal during the Tokyo Games where a horse was hit by a trainer.

"The UIPM[modern pentathlon federation]must finalize its proposal for a replacement of horse riding and overall competition format ... they must demonstrate significant reduction in cost ... and appeal to youth and the general public," Bach said.