By Mark Kitchin
It’s one of those questions that fans of lacrosse can never quite understand. If synchronized swimming and team handball can become Olympic sports, why isn’t lacrosse a part of the worldwide event as well?
It’s not like the Olympics had never heard of the sport. Lacrosse was in fact contested in the 1904 and 1908 Olympics, albeit between only three countries, Canada, U.S. and England. It was also listed as an exhibition sport at several more Olympic Games.
Surely, it’s as competitive a sport as most of the events in the Olympics. It has to have a bigger following than some events which only arouse interest during the event.
Well maybe in terms of sheer numbers but not in terms of status around the globe. Although the sport does have its areas of rabid interest, there are still parts of the world that have never seen a lacrosse game. Lacrosse has made great inroads in the last decade, but on the continents of South America and Africa rarely has a stick been lifted or a goal scored.
However, that is changing and the reason Lacrosse may one day take its place again in the Olympic Games may be because of better organization within the sport on the International level. In 2006, the men’s and women’s international lacrosse entities merged into the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL). The merger may prove to be the most important development for the sport in the last decade.
Along with fostering the growth of both the men’s and women’s games, it has put together a realistic blueprint outlining the steps needed to be taken in order to make lacrosse an Olympic sport once again.
It’s not surprising that someone with New Jersey ties is part of this endeavor. For years, Tom Hayes coached lacrosse and Rutgers University in New Brunswick. After the long time coach left the Scarlet Knights program, he got more involved on the international level and has been at the forefront of helping lacrosse move beyond the countries in which the sport already enjoys success.
The FIL currently has 25 full-fledged members and 14 associate members with footholds in many more countries. There are organizational structures in place in countries as varied as Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Finland, India and New Zealand. There has also been communications in 37 additional countries including Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Iceland, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Mongolia, the Philippines, Qatar, Singapore and Tibet with sports-minded individuals looking to start up the sport in their country.
There will probably be enough interest and development by next year to allow FIL officials to attend the SportAccord Conference which is being held in London, England in 2011. Among SportAccord’s goals is to recognize, assist and represent International Federations with Olympic aspirations.
Once this is achieved, the FIL may apply to the International World Games Organization for World Games membership by 2013 and eventually start asking for Olympic consideration from the International Olympic Committee by 2014. The World Games, which is next scheduled for 2013 in Cali, Colombia, is held every four years and is always held the year after the Olympic Games. The World Games are held under the patronage of the IOC. It is basically an Olympics for sports that have a measure of worldwide recognition but are not contested in the Olympic Games. It also serves as a way for the IOC to determine the viability of future Olympic sports.
Among the 32 sports federations currently recognized by the International World Games Association, are ones that cover Bowling, Fistball, Korfball, Netball, Orienteering, Squash, Surfing, Tug of War and Water Skiing. Lacrosse had been a member of the World Games at one time but the last time the sport was contested was in 1989. Under the FIL, the timetable lists the earliest year for lacrosse to become an Olympic event is 2020 with 2024 a more realistic possibility. That’s the plan anyway.
One could hope interest in lacrosse will only snowball as more countries pick it up. Certainly it’s in the interest of lacrosse equipment manufacturers to establish relationships in different parts of the globe as well as players and coaches looking to broaden their horizons while passing on the sport knowledge to athletes of all ages from different countries. As always economics will play a role in its growth.
It can be argued that lacrosse doesn’t necessarily need Olympic recognition. Tennis and Golf survived for years without it. American football and rugby have never been part of it. Baseball and softball enjoyed Olympic status only to have it taken away, but that does not seem to have dampened their overall popularity.
However, many believe making lacrosse a global sport can only enhance the image of what many already consider a successful and entertaining pastime. It may be just another logical progression in its history. Does lacrosse belong in the Olympics? It would certainly give dedicated athletes another prize to contest and more reasons to play.
