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- Oct 22, 2022
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I've just taken up artistic roller skating this year in addition to figure skating, so I'm still learning about the sport as well as learning to do the sport. My understanding so far is that the IOC turns down bids to add roller sports in general to the summer Olympics because a) the summer Games are too big as it is, with 40+ (?) sports as opposed to about 15 or so in the winter Games, so it's harder to get yet another summer sport included, and b) while roller skating is a popular recreational sport and does have its own international federation, the organized, competitive movement is small potatoes compared to the ice version. Away from its power centre in Italy (and some countries in South America) there's no professional version of artistic roller skating, hence not much financial sponsorship. I've also been told by other roller skaters that the sport is considered too fractured into too many disciplines because of the division between using quad wheels (which I use) and inline wheels, so that each discipline is duplicated into separate events. They do have their own world championships and there are (or used to be -- I'm ignorant here and should have Googled first before I started this posting) the World Roller Games involving many sports on wheels. (Downhill Alpine roller skating? If that's really an event and not just another roller skater pulling my leg, then EEK!
)I'm such a beginner and only know a few longtime roller skaters so far, so I'm really the wrong person to be replaying to this, but just wanted to say that there are many people who see no reason why it shouldn't be part of the summer Olympics. But the IOC disagrees, basically because the sport, while very popular as a recreational activity, isn't big enough as a competitive sport on the organizational or financial aspects compared to the ISU.
