Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, October 14, 2002
Badminton Mixed Doubles' Olympic Future in Question
Badminton mixed doubles future in the Olympic Games was still in suspense, said Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Sunday in Busan.
Badminton mixed doubles future in the Olympic Games was still in suspense, said Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Sunday in Busan.
The IOC president watched the mixed doubles and women's singles finals of badminton tournament at the Asian Games Sunday afternoon.
"Whether dropping the mixed doubles event out of the Olympics is still under discussion," said Rogge. "We have not yet decided."
Making its debut in the Olympics in 1992, badminton events were
dominated by Asian players as Indonesia and South Korea split the four golds in men's and women's singles and doubles in Barcelona.
And mixed doubles event made its way into the Olympics in 1996.
The trend continued in the following two Games as China bagged home five golds while Indonesia and South Korea each reaped two, leaving only one title to the European counterparts as Dane Peter Larsen won the men's singles over Chinese Dong Jiong in 1996 Atlanta Games.
Eyeing on sizing down the ever-growing Olympics, IOC was considering to drop badminton mixed doubles from the Games.
Rogge arrvied here Sunday morning to attend the closing ceremony of the Asian Games, which will end Monday.
Before making his way to watch the badminton finals, the Olympic chief also visited the athletes' village of the Asiad.