Very against this initiative. Against outsiders voicing for skaters too. This said, the only unique (and maybe cool) thing that would come from this would be observing different country’s skaters band together as an “all star” team. USA? Heavy. Canada? Stacked. Brazil? Solid. Chile? …Danny Fuenzalita?

Something to think about; I was one of the promoters with the Arnold Sports Festival; a four day multi sport event that takes place in Columbus Ohio every year in march. The idea behind the festival is “progression in athletics” and boasts that they bring in more competitors and sports then the Olympics do every year. For two years I promoted and hosted a skateboard contest with the group that brought in pros and ams from around the world. Though small, our budget was huge and gave us opportunity to support skateboarding regardless of giant asses they turned out to be.

During my time I was approached by many members of the Olympic comities asking questions as to how, why, why wouldn’t we and if we could lobby to be part of the Olympics. Much of my conversation was based on the fact that 90% of skateboarding is still an illegal activity and there is no “I in team because I, got the fuck out of organized sports!” Still I was curious about the process and asked what it would take to make something like that happen and here is why no good respecting skater will ever in their life let this happen.

IF skateboarding happened it would have to be a demo sports for two Olympic Games totaling 8 years before they would decide if it would host as a medal sport. Seeing that this is a long time in skateboarding and trends and ideas in skateboarding change it’s doubtful that we could keep enough interest in it makes it to a medal sport. Face it; with filming dead lines, ads, sponsor changes, interviews and everything else, as skaters, we would have little time that we would offer to make what the committee sees is a “Standard team practice. The whole “Drop and give me 20 nollie flips” makes me sick thinking about it
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HERES THE DEATH BLOW: In order for skateboarding to become a medal sport it would have to obtain a sports sponsor. By their standard, this is a sport that is will to claim you and promote you while you go through the 8 year trial process. Your sport sponsor would have to already be an established sport and would have to perform in a similar manner for them to file a request to add you to the roster for the 8 year trial period. As of now the only sport that they would say is “Like skateboarding” is….. Ready for this….wait for it…..CYCLING! Yes cycling and this means anything bicycle related would be backing skateboarding. If you don’t know, the Olympics already has MXC and are adding Park Bike very shortly but they would have to back, support, sponsor, and lobby for skateboarding.

If you ask any clear thinking skateboarder we would all rather have legs cut off then have our art backed by some goon on a bike. For this reason alone, you can see that our culture and community will not allow skateboarding in the Olympics. Also here’s something to think about; should it get as far as a USA Skateboarding team….who would they get….I am sure you can think of a handful of pros that would be part of it…all of them are energy drink, off brand shoe, odd hat sponsor laced up and none of them are someone that we are stoked about. Could you honestly see your self yelling “All hail coach Cardial?”
Me either!

“to provide direction and governance for the sport of skateboarding worldwide.”
1. ITS NOT A FUCKING SPORT
2. WTF HAPPENED TO COUNTERCULTURE
3. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL OF THE SKATERS PICTURED ARE IN STREET LEAGUE AND ARE SPONSORED BY REDBULL/ MONSTER.
4. A governing body?!?!?!?! WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN?! SKATEBOARDING IS AN ART FORM AND A LIFESTYLE AND NEEDS NO GOVERNING. BEING GOVERNED WILL DO NOTHING BUT MAKE IT LESS UNIQUE, MORE MARKETABLE, AND WILL SLOW CREATIVITY.