More Olympic medals in store as IOC recognizes 6 sports

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines will have more chances of snaring Olympic medals after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) granted full recognition in six sports, including kickboxing, muay thai and sambo where the country are traditionally strong.

Also getting the full nod are cheerleading, lacrosse and icestocksports, which, along with kickboxing, muay thai and sambo, are expected to get formally accepted as part of the 2024 Paris Games when their International Federations (IFs) meet in an IOC session in Tokyo ahead of the Tokyo Games set July 23 to Aug. 8.

“Definitely nadagdagan chances natin with the addition of the three martial arts events, dyan tayo may mga potential, which we have proven in the last Southeast Asian Games,” said Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham Tolentino.

The congressman from Tagaytay was referring to kickboxing, muay thai and sambo combining for an impressive eight-gold haul in the 2019 SEA Games edition the country hosted.

Filipinos are also known as strong in combat sports including boxing where the country has harvested half of the 10 medals it captured in the quadrennial event.

Recognized provisionally before the COVID-19 pandemic happened, the IFs of all six disciplines have fulfilled the requirements set by the IOC to become full-fledged members.