Fans of submission grappling have been clamoring for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to be included in the Olympic program for years. With the 2016 Olympics taking place in Rio de Janeiro, the noise has reached ear-shattering levels. But should BJJ be included in the Olympics? Possibly. Will BJJ be included in the Olympics? No. At least not any time soon.
The list of requirements just to qualify for Olympic consideration are extensive and exhaustive. It’s easy to underestimate how difficult it is for a sport to be selected for the Olympic program because Badminton, Table Tennis, and Trampoline are currently Olympic sports. But it took those sports decades to reach Olympic eligibility.
An Olympic sport must be contested in 75 countries, for men, and 50 countries, for women, across four continents. A cursory search on Google and YouTube suggests that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu meets the 75 country requirement, and the IBJJF already holds tournaments in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
However, it is not enough for sporting events to be held in 75 countries. A sport must be “widely practiced.” This means that a sport must have a national federation. These national federations must also have an international governing body. The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) was formed in 2002, and though they are making great strides towards creating national federations (Brazil, France, Portugal, and the USA among others), there are nowhere near 75 national Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu federations. Luckily for fans of Jiu-Jitsu this seems like a problem that will naturally solve itself over time as BJJ continues to grow in worldwide popularity. However, as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expands and becomes more inclusive, the Olympics are contracting and becoming more exclusive.
In 2002, the International Olympic Committee passed a resolution limiting the sports in the Summer Olympics to a maximum of 28. Twenty-five of the 28 spots are reserved for “core sports” and the remaining three slots are subject to vote. The current “non-core sports” included are: Wrestling, Golf, and Rugby Sevens.
The Olympic Charter requires a sport to be voted in at least seven years prior to the Olympic Games that is to be contested. Golf and Rugby were voted into the 2016 Olympics in 2009. Wrestling was dropped from the 2020 Olympic Program in 2012, and restored to it in 2013. The earliest Olympics that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu could be included is in 2024. However, that relies on one of the previous three sports being dropped in 2017.
Given the furor over Wrestling being dropped in 2012, it’s unlikely the IOC would consider dropping the sport again in 2024. Golf and Rugby, just voted in, are probably not going to be dropped for 2024 (since 2013 is almost over they can’t be dropped for the 2020 Olympics). That pushes Olympic Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to 2028 or later.
The possibility of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu being considered for the Olympics is awesome. The probability of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu being considered for the Olympics is awful. There are simply too many barriers in its way. Next week, we will look at possible loopholes around said barriers. In the meantime, what are your thoughts on the likelihood of Jiu-Jitsu being at the Olympics?
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