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Jul
By Steve Pawlyk
Published July 29, 2024
We were all hopeful when the cheer was granted full recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on July 20, 2021. However, the recent announcement that competitive cheer will not be included in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games has everyone wondering why. I’m going to run through the criteria the IOC demands for a sport to be included and how cheer meets every measure of this criteria.
The Criteria for Olympic Inclusion
To be considered for the Olympics, a sport must meet several criteria set by the IOC. These include:
- Environmental Sustainability: The sport must have minimal environmental impact.
- Scoring Complexity: The sport must have an easy to understand scoring system
- Universality: It should be practiced widely across the globe.
- Gender Equality: The sport must promote and ensure gender equality.
- Integrity and Fairness: The sport must have clear rules and be governed by a body that ensures fair play.
- Popularity: The sport should have a significant following and be popular in various regions.
- Host Country Interest: The host country’s interest in the sport can influence its inclusion.
- Athlete Safety: The sport must ensure the safety of its participants.
- Cost: The cost of hosting the sport should be reasonable
Okay, that’s the Olympics’ list of criteria for inclusion, now let’s break down each point and show why cheer fits each one.
1. Environmental Sustainability: The Sport Must Have Minimal Environmental Impact
One of the criteria for a sport to be included in the Olympics is its environmental sustainability. This means the sport should have a minimal environmental impact, aligning with the Olympic Movement’s commitment to sustainability and the preservation of our planet.
Understanding the Criterion
The IOC’s emphasis on environmental sustainability includes considerations such as:
- Resource Usage: The sport should not require extensive use of non-renewable resources or cause significant environmental degradation. This includes considerations of the materials used in equipment and facilities.
- Energy Consumption: The sport should not have high energy demands that could lead to excessive carbon emissions. This includes both the energy needed to host the event and the energy required for day-to-day training and operations.
- Waste Management: The sport should have effective waste management practices in place, minimizing waste generation and ensuring proper disposal and recycling.
- Biodiversity Impact: The sport should avoid activities that harm local ecosystems or wildlife.
The Ridiculousness of this
While the intention behind this criterion is laudable, applying it uniformly across all sports can seem ridiculous, especially in the context of competitive cheer. Here’s why:
- Competitive Cheer’s Low Environmental Impact: Unlike sports that require large fields, specialized infrastructure, or significant travel, competitive cheer typically takes place in existing facilities like gyms or multipurpose arenas. The environmental impact of competitive cheer events is minimal compared to other sports like golf, which can involve maintaining extensive courses, or motorsports, which have high fuel consumption and emissions.
- Equipment and Facilities: The equipment used in competitive cheer, such as mats and uniforms, does not have a significant environmental footprint, especially when compared to the extensive gear needed for sports like cycling or skiing.
- Energy Consumption: competitive cheer competitions and practices do not demand high energy usage. They are typically held indoors and do not require the intense lighting, heating, or cooling that some other sports do.
- Waste Management: competitive cheer events generate minimal waste compared to large-scale outdoor sports events, which often involve significant waste from spectators and participants.
- Biodiversity Impact: competitive cheer activities do not interfere with natural habitats or wildlife, unlike sports that take place in natural settings, such as sailing or equestrian events.
Comparisons with Other Sports
To illustrate the absurdity of applying this criterion strictly to competitive cheer, consider the following comparisons:
- Golf: Maintaining golf courses requires vast amounts of water, pesticides, and fertilizers, all of which have significant environmental impacts. Despite this, golf is included in the Olympics.
- Sailing: Sailing events often impact marine ecosystems and involve extensive travel and logistics.
- Equestrian Sports: These require substantial land use and maintenance, along with the care and transportation of horses.
2. Complex Scoring System: A Barrier to competitive cheer’s Olympic Inclusion
One of the critical reasons competitive cheer was not included in the 2028 Olympic Games is its complex scoring system. This intricacy poses a significant barrier to the sport’s appeal among the general public and decision-makers. Let’s dive deeper into why the scoring system is considered complex, how it impacts competitive cheer’s visibility and popularity, and why this reason is arguably ridiculous.
Understanding competitive cheer’s Scoring System
competitive cheer routines are judged based on a variety of elements, each contributing to the final score. These elements include:
- Difficulty: The complexity of stunts, pyramids, tumbling passes, and jumps. Teams are rewarded for incorporating more challenging skills.
- Execution: How well the team performs the routine, focusing on technique, precision, and synchronization.
- Creativity: The uniqueness and innovation of the choreography, including formations and transitions.
- Overall Performance: The energy, enthusiasm, and engagement of the team throughout the routine.
- Deductions: Penalties for mistakes such as falls, incomplete stunts, or safety violations.
Each of these categories is scored on a detailed rubric, which can vary between different competitive cheer organizations and competitions. Judges need to assess numerous aspects within a short time frame, leading to a detailed and multifaceted scoring process
The Complexity for Viewers
For viewers unfamiliar with the sport, this scoring system can be overwhelming and difficult to follow. Unlike sports where the scoring is straightforward (e.g., a goal in soccer or a basket in basketball), competitive cheer’s scoring involves understanding technical elements and subjective judgments. This complexity can lead to several issues:
- Lack of Immediate Clarity: Spectators might find it challenging to understand why one routine scores higher than another, especially when the differences are based on nuanced technicalities.
- Engagement: The difficulty in understanding the scoring can reduce viewer engagement. Sports with transparent scoring systems tend to attract more viewers because the audience can easily follow the progression and stakes of the competition.
- Appeal to Broad Audiences: For a sport to be included in the Olympics, it needs to appeal to a broad, global audience. The complexity of competitive cheer’s scoring can make it less accessible to new viewers, limiting its widespread appeal.
Why This Reason is Ridiculous
Despite the points above, the argument that competitive cheer’s complex scoring system is a reason for its exclusion from the Olympics is arguably ridiculous for several reasons:
- Precedent of Complex Sports: Many Olympic sports have complex scoring systems that have not prevented their inclusion. Gymnastics, figure skating, and diving, for example, all have intricate scoring that requires expert understanding. These sports have been part of the Olympics for years, and their complexity is managed through comprehensive commentary and educational efforts.
- Educational Opportunities: The complexity of competitive cheer scoring can be mitigated with proper education and commentary. Broadcasters can explain the scoring elements, much like they do for gymnastics and figure skating, making it easier for viewers to follow and appreciate the performances.
- Engagement Through Innovation: Sports with complex scoring can still engage viewers through innovative presentation. Real-time scoring graphics, detailed breakdowns, and interactive features can help demystify the scoring process for audiences.
- Growing Popularity: competitive cheer is rapidly growing in popularity worldwide, with increasing participation and viewership. Its inclusion in the Olympics could further boost its visibility and understanding, similar to how gymnastics and figure skating have benefitted from Olympic exposure.
Comparisons with Other Sports
To further illustrate the point, let’s compare competitive cheer’s scoring system with that of other sports:
- Gymnastics: While gymnastics also has a detailed scoring system, it benefits from a longer history in the Olympics and a more established public understanding. Commentators often help demystify the scoring by explaining deductions and bonuses in real-time.
- Figure Skating: Similar to gymnastics, figure skating has a complex scoring system but is well-supported by commentators who explain the intricacies to the audience. Over time, viewers have become more familiar with the scoring elements.
- Diving: Diving involves judges scoring based on execution and difficulty, but the criteria are simpler and more consistent, making it easier for viewers to grasp.
3. Universality: It Should Be Practiced Widely Across the Globe
Explanation: The IOC requires that a sport be widely practiced across the globe to ensure it has a universal appeal and representation. This means the sport should have active participation and recognition in numerous countries.
Why This Is Ridiculous:
- Growing Global Presence: competitive cheer is rapidly expanding worldwide. The International Cheer Union (ICU) boasts 119 member national federations and has over 10 million athletes globally. This shows a significant level of international engagement and participation.
- Comparable Sports: Many sports included in the Olympics are not universally practiced. For instance, sports like curling and equestrian have a limited number of participating countries yet remain in the Olympics. competitive cheer’s growing global presence should more than qualify it under the universality criterion.
4. Gender Equality: The Sport Must Promote and Ensure Gender Equality
Explanation: The IOC emphasizes gender equality to promote fairness and equal opportunity for all athletes, regardless of gender.
Why This Is Ridiculous:
- Equal Participation: competitive cheer promotes gender equality, with both male and female athletes actively participating. Many competitive cheer teams are coed, and the sport celebrates and encourages participation from all genders.
- Historical Disparities: Some Olympic sports have historically been male-dominated or have struggled with gender equality, yet they are still included. competitive cheer, on the other hand, has made significant strides in balancing gender representation and should be recognized for its efforts.
5. Integrity and Fairness: The Sport Must Have Clear Rules and Be Governed by a Body That Ensures Fair Play
Explanation: Sports included in the Olympics must have well-defined rules and be overseen by a governing body that maintains the integrity of the sport.
Why This Is Ridiculous:
- Established Governing Bodies: The International Cheer Union (ICU) is the recognized governing body for competitive cheer, ensuring that the sport adheres to clear and fair rules. The ICU’s governance is on par with other sports federations that oversee Olympic sports.
- Comparable Issues: Many existing Olympic sports have faced issues with fairness and integrity, such as controversies in judging in figure skating or boxing. These sports are not excluded despite these challenges, making it unreasonable to single out competitive cheer.
6. Popularity: The Sport Should Have a Significant Following and Be Popular in Various Regions
Explanation:
To ensure high viewership and engagement, the IOC prefers sports that are popular and have a significant following.
Why This Is Ridiculous:
- Rising Popularity: competitive cheer has seen a tremendous rise in popularity, especially with events like the competitive cheer Worlds and the ICU World Championships drawing large audiences. The sport’s popularity is growing in regions outside North America as well.
- Olympic Sports with Limited Popularity: Several Olympic sports have niche followings, yet they remain included. Sports like modern pentathlon and synchronized swimming do not have massive global followings but are still part of the Olympics. competitive cheer’s growing fan base should make it a viable candidate.
7. Host Country Interest: The Host Country’s Interest in the Sport Can Influence Its Inclusion
Explanation: The interest and popularity of a sport in the host country can play a role in its inclusion to boost local engagement and viewership.
Why This Is Ridiculous:
- Strong U.S. Support: competitive cheer is incredibly popular in the United States, the host country for the 2028 Olympics. This local interest should work in competitive cheer’s favor, making its exclusion based on this criterion even more puzzling.
- Precedent: Other sports have been included primarily due to host country interest, such as karate in Tokyo 2020 and breakdancing in Paris 2024. competitive cheer’s exclusion despite strong U.S. support seems inconsistent with this precedent.
8. Athlete Safety: The Sport Must Ensure the Safety of Its Participants
Explanation: The IOC prioritizes the safety of athletes, ensuring that the sports included do not pose undue risks.
Why This Is Ridiculous:
- Improved Safety Measures: competitive cheer has significantly improved its safety standards with regulations, training programs, and safety protocols. The ICU and other governing bodies have implemented measures to reduce injury risks.
- Inherent Risks in Other Sports: Many Olympic sports carry significant risks, such as gymnastics, boxing, and skiing. These sports are not excluded despite their high injury rates, making the exclusion of competitive cheer on safety grounds appear inconsistent and unreasonable.
9. Cost of Hosting Competitive Cheerleading
Explanation: The IOC considers the financial feasibility of hosting a sport, favoring those that are cost-effective.
Why This Is Ridiculous:
- Low-Cost Sport: Hosting competitive cheer is relatively inexpensive compared to many other Olympic sports. It requires standard indoor venues, which are often already available and used for other sports. The specialized equipment needed, such as mats and uniforms, is minimal and not cost-prohibitive.
- Venue Versatility: Cheer can be accommodated in multipurpose arenas that do not require significant modifications or additional infrastructure. This makes it an economically viable option for host cities, reducing the financial burden associated with preparing and maintaining venues.
- Comparable Costs: Many existing Olympic sports entail substantial costs for venues and equipment. For example, building and maintaining facilities for sports like swimming, cycling, or equestrian events can be extremely expensive. Given this context, cheerleading’s relatively low cost for infrastructure and equipment makes its exclusion on financial grounds unjustifiable.
The criteria used to exclude competitive cheer from the 2028 Olympics are not only unreasonable but also inconsistent when compared to the inclusion of other sports. competitive cheer meets or exceeds many of these criteria, and its exclusion highlights a need for a more inclusive and equitable approach in the selection process for Olympic sports. By addressing these inconsistencies, competitive cheer can improve its prospects for future inclusion in the Olympic Games.
The Sports That Made the Cut
The LA28 Organizing Committee added five sports to the 2028 Olympics: cricket, flag football, baseball/softball, lacrosse, and squash. These sports were chosen based on their global popularity, simplicity, and alignment with Olympic values.
- Cricket: With over a billion fans worldwide, cricket is a sport with a vast following, especially in countries like India, Australia, and England.
- Flag Football: Supported by the NFL, flag football has grown rapidly and is seen as a safer alternative to traditional American football.
- Breakdancing: “Breaking” as they prefer it to be called will be a sport in this year’s Olympics…crazy
- Lacrosse: Known for its fast-paced and exciting gameplay, lacrosse has a growing global presence.
- Squash: Squash is played in over 185 countries and has a strong professional circuit.
Competitive cheer’s journey to Olympic inclusion is inevitable. While it did not make the cut for LA 2028, the sport’s recognition by the IOC and its growing global presence are promising signs for the future. Though, it seems, for the moment, there is a bias against including our sport. My guess is we’re too bad-ass, but 🤷♂️
…Flag Football 🤦♂️ ….for real
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