The First Motorsport in the Olympics?
Thanks to the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) the 2024 Summer Olympics might include Trial-E as a sport. The 2024 Olympics will be held in Paris, France, and if successful, the FIM would have solidified the first motorsport officially recognized in the Olympics, according to Motorcycle.com.
The publication reported that Jacques Bolle, FIM vice president and French Motorcycling Federation president, Jean-Pierre Mougin, FIM honorary deputy president and V.P. of the French National Olympic Committee, and Thierry Michaud, a three-time Trial World Champion and director of the FIM Trial Commission are leading the charge. The men met with the folks in charge of the upcoming summer Olympics. They discussed adding the sport to the list of recognized games.
The Olympic Committee will determine if Trail-E qualifies under the newer rules put in place in 2016. Those rules have not impacted the competition yet. The new rules for the Olympic Games will impact the 2020 Winter Games held in Tokyo, Japan, for the first time.
How are the Chances?
The new rules state that the sport has to be universally accessible to both men and women, focused on youth athletes, sustainable, practiced on all continents that compete, not requiring some unique infrastructure, and truly spectacular from both a competitors perspective and the fan’s perspective.
Trial-E isn’t the only sport lobbying for a place in the Olympic games. That means the FIM members trying to get it included may find it difficult to do so. However, that doesn’t mean Trial-E won’t be in the Olympics. Jorge Viegas, FIM president, said that he believes the sport has a good chance. He also sounded optimistic for the future. “This great première will be the foundation for a strong relationship that will bring the FIM, the IOC and all the Olympic family closer together for many years to come,” he said.
The Olympic Committee will release the official list of sports after the Tokyo, Japan, Olympics. The FIM also wants to see Trial-E added to the World Games and European games.