Alex Marvez of FOX Sports has learned that the International Federation of American Football’s initial application for recognition by the International Olympic Committee was declined. IOC officials will meet with IFAF representatives within the next 45 days to discuss how the group can strengthen its application for future consideration. “American football’s burgeoning international athlete participation and appeal continues to propel the game on an exciting upward path,†an IFAF spokesman told FOX Sports in a statement. “IFAF and the world’s American football family have great reason to remain inspired and energized by our ongoing dialogue with IOC leadership.†IOC approval would have provided a significant boost in promoting the game and procuring additional funding from countries with sports ministries that financially support athletes in Olympic sports. There are currently 64 countries on six continents that are sanctioned IFAF members for men’s and women’s teams. Carl Peterson, who is chairman of the USA Football youth governing body, said the lack of IOC recognition is the biggest obstacle in growing the sport globally. “Most of the other (Olympic) sports are getting international exposure,†Peterson recently told FOX Sports. “Organizations like IFAF in Europe are doing a good job developing teams in their countries. “Football is becoming a world sport. It’s just going to take longer than the NBA as well as the NHL.†Source: The Redzone
How on earth could you justify a sport that is so overwhelmingly dominated in talent and interest in one nation? There are plenty of sports that should be ahead of American Football in getting into the Olympics.
american football was actually tried in the olympics before ...... many years ago ... i think it was just at an exhibition level but they were trying to get it in as a real sport. it went nowhere at the time. i would only be interested in watching it in the olympics because it would be so comically bad to see the other countries playing it.
The IFAF is hilarious in and of itself. Read up on some of their tournaments and the restrictions put against the USA teams...it is OUTSTANDING how bad USA still beats them down. It would be no fun.
