The IOC recognized the popular game as an Olympic sport

The popular beach game Frisbee has become an Olympic sport. This decision was made at the next session of the International Olympic Committee. The new status makes the World Frisbee Federation eligible for funding from the IOC. The Federation has only just entered the list of sports organizations recognized by the International Committee. There are currently 33 items on the list. This does not mean automatic inclusion in the Olympic Games program, but Frisbee can now qualify for this. Details from Svetlana Belova.

Photo: Stanislav Zalesov, Kommersant / buy photo

Olympic recognition for frisbee players did not come as a surprise. They believe that they have long been ready to conquer the world’s main sports podium. National flying disc federations exist in 62 countries, international frisbee championships are held, and the sport has its own stars. Among them, by the way, are Russian athletes, noted the President of the Russian Flying Disc Federation Alexander Shebunyaev.

“In the States and Canada, there has been a professional league for three years now, where people play and earn money from this sport. Sports are subsidized, but, of course, not at the same level as the NHL and NBA. It is less visited, but nevertheless, over these three years it has become quite successful. There are thousands of people in the stadiums. There is even a Russian player who plays in one of these professional teams, Anatoly Vasilyev,” Shebunyaev told Kommersant FM.

Frisbee includes several disciplines, for example, dog frisbee, disc golf. There are also individual disciplines for range and accuracy, but ultimate is considered the most spectacular. Two teams of seven players compete. The one who has taken possession of the disc cannot move; he throws the projectile from its place, and opponents try to interfere with the flight of the disc. Interestingly, there are no judges in Frisbee. The teams resolve all controversial issues themselves, and the staff only monitors compliance with the playing time.

Ultimate is where the most fans come. The measurements were taken at the World Games - this is an analogue of the Olympics for those sports that are not yet included in the Olympic program. By the way, badminton, triathlon, taekwondo and several other sports migrated from the World Games stadiums to the Olympic rings. And frisbee also has every chance, believes Dmitry Navosha, director of the Sports.ru portal.

“At some Olympics that will be held in countries where Frisbee is popular, for example, Australia or some other southern or beach countries, Frisbee may be included in the program of the Olympic Games, because local spectators will like it, more people will come to stands. They will most likely include some kind of frisbee, rather than one of the types of cycling, if it is not popular in this country,” Navosha noted.

Frisbee could make it to the Olympics as early as 2020. 26 sports are vying for inclusion in the Tokyo Games program, including quite exotic ones: sumo, bridge or tug of war. They even talked about hide and seek. The Japanese athlete Yasuo Hazaki proposed recognizing this children's game as an official sport. Formally, hide and seek meets all the IOC criteria: wide geographical coverage, clear rules of the game, competitiveness, not only in physical abilities, but also in cunning and agility. If the Olympic Committee is not interested in hide and seek, then the Japanese are ready to offer another popular game, said Alexander Raevsky, a specialist on Japan and a teacher at Moscow State University.

“They had a traditional sport called kemari. This is what we call the word “sox”, when six people, six aristocrats in multi-colored kimanos played, threw the ball, and it should not touch the ground,” Raevsky told Kommersant FM.

In the history of the Olympic Games there are also quite exotic species. For example, at the beginning of the last century, athletes competed in steeplechase swimming. It was necessary to swim across the Seine, at the same time climb a pole and swim under a row of boats, holding an orange with some part of the body, without using hands. Or in 1900, a champion was chosen from among pigeon shooters. Then the Belgian won, killing 21 birds.

Among modern applicants for a place in the Olympic program, there are also controversial candidates. For example, pole sport - acrobatics on a pole with elements of striptease - is defending its right to the Olympics.

“Frisbee could make it to the Olympics as early as 2020”