Breakdancing To Become Olympic Sport For The First Time In 2024

Topline

Breaking, the official name for competitive breakdancing, will become an Olympic sport for the first time at the 2024 Paris Olympics, organizers announced Monday, as the sport was one of four to be approved for the summer games.

Key Facts

Crucial Quote

Breaking’s inclusion in the Olympics is “going to be great for breaking as it gives us more recognition as a sport,” British breaker Karam Singh told BBC Sport. “And for the Olympics, it will attract young people who may not follow some of the traditional sports.”

Chief Critic

USA Today reports that while many breakers are cheering the sport’s inclusion in the Olympics, the campaign has gotten some pushback. Some dancers believe the Olympics could cause the sport to lose some of its authenticity, or devalue aspects of breaking routines that are harder to judge, like originality and passion. “There’s been quite some controversy inside the scene,” 17-year-old breakdancer Logan ‘Logistx’ Edra told USA Today. “It’s basically making sure that we preserve the essence and the culture, and that it doesn’t get lost in the competitive grind as we continue to progress and make steps into the Olympics.”

Key Background

The 2024 Paris Olympics are still set to take place on time even as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics were delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and though the specific logistics remain uncertain, officials have said the Tokyo games will take place in 2021 despite the ongoing pandemic. In their announcement Monday, the IOC touted that the Paris games will be “fit for a post-corona world,” with cuts to the Summer Games’ “cost and complexity” that include slight reductions in the number of athletes and events. 

Tangent

The Paris 2024 games will be fully gender equal, organizers announced Monday, with 50% female and male participation, as compared with 48.8% female participation in the Tokyo games. The Paris Olympics will also have 28 gender-equal sports, out of 32 total, and 22 mixed events, as compared with 18 in Tokyo.

Further Reading

Paris 2024 Olympics: Breaking set to be included in programme (BBC Sport)

How break dancing is on the verge of becoming an Olympic sport (CBS Sports)

Breaking, also known as breakdancing, becomes an Olympic sport and some hope the move won’t dilute its soul (USA Today)