When the Olympics come around every four years archers flock to the TV to show their patriotism for their country's top shooters... Or what we perceive to be the best shooters. The hard truth is that we really don't know if they are the best the world has to offer or not. Why do I say that you ask? It's because only recurve style archery is allowed in the Olympics. That leaves out the thousands and thousands of archers throughout the world who are skilled in compound style shooting.
Now you may be asking, "why aren't compound shooters allowed in the Olympics?" That all comes down to the International Olympic Committee or IOC. The IOC's reason for excluding compound is simply that they consider it too similar to recurve. That keeps compound of of the playing field because of a International Olympic Committee rule that states that there may only be one type of competition per sport. Due to that fact, World Archery has made extensive efforts to try to change compound competitions in effort for them to be considered a difference sport in the eyes of the IOC.
Tom Dielen, secretary general of FITA, told the New York Times, "recurve is a sport of execution and not so much aiming; compound is more aiming and precision. It’s now a different type of competition." Although, so far all of the efforts made to persuade the International Olympic Committee to include compound have been in vain. The IOC has made no indications that they will allow compound in the Olympics any time soon. Though, that will not discourage us, we will still fight for the chance to be in the Olympics, and hopefully our efforts will be rewarded in the near future. Maybe even in 2024.
What are your thoughts on compound being included in the Olympics? Let us know!
By Amber A.
#Compound2024
Now you may be asking, "why aren't compound shooters allowed in the Olympics?" That all comes down to the International Olympic Committee or IOC. The IOC's reason for excluding compound is simply that they consider it too similar to recurve. That keeps compound of of the playing field because of a International Olympic Committee rule that states that there may only be one type of competition per sport. Due to that fact, World Archery has made extensive efforts to try to change compound competitions in effort for them to be considered a difference sport in the eyes of the IOC.
Tom Dielen, secretary general of FITA, told the New York Times, "recurve is a sport of execution and not so much aiming; compound is more aiming and precision. It’s now a different type of competition." Although, so far all of the efforts made to persuade the International Olympic Committee to include compound have been in vain. The IOC has made no indications that they will allow compound in the Olympics any time soon. Though, that will not discourage us, we will still fight for the chance to be in the Olympics, and hopefully our efforts will be rewarded in the near future. Maybe even in 2024.
What are your thoughts on compound being included in the Olympics? Let us know!
By Amber A.
#Compound2024