Paris 2024 Olympic chief Tony Estanguet says that while the decision to add breaking to the Games roster had come in for some criticism and derision, most of the feedback he had received had been overwhelmingly positive.
The sport's inclusion at the 2024 Olympics may have been surprising but organisers were drawn to the sport's potential to attract a younger fanbase and grow the Olympic audience in the internet age, Estanguet insists.
Breaking is one of four new sports to win a spot at the Games in Paris - alongside surfing, skateboarding and sports climbing.
"What attracted us to this sport was its ability to attract the youth," Estanguet, head of the Paris organising committee, said.
"It's a sport that is widely watched on all digital platforms, widely consumed by young people.
"It's very impressive technically and physically, what these athletes manage to do, and that's why we were attracted to this sport. The feedback has been very good."
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"There are always a few critics, but overall... I see that throughout the different regions of France, there is very positive feedback on the addition of breaking as a new sport."
Games' organisers had been on the hunt for new sports to broaden the appeal of the Olympics and breaking fit the bill because it had already been part of the programme at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires in 2018, he added.
"We found climbing, skateboarding, surfing and breaking, and we are really adding events that come from a completely different world, with fans, who would not necessarily be connected to the Olympic Games otherwise," Estanguet said.
The 2020 Games in Tokyo were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and public opinion on whether the event should go ahead is mixed, with 60% of respondents in a November poll saying the Tokyo Games should be postponed further or cancelled.
Estanguet said there are no such reservations about the 2024 Olympics in France.
"What is a matter of public opinion in Tokyo is specific to Tokyo," he added. "We carried out a survey this week which shows that in France, Paris 2024 continues to receive wide support from the French."
-Reuters
