The International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted Sunday to reinstate wrestling as part of the 2020 Olympics. It was axed in February when the IOC assessed the 26 sports at the London 2012 Games.
Tokyo won the bid on Saturday to host the 2020 Olympics and the ancient sport of wrestling was included as the sports were determined.
Wrestling was part of the original Olympics in ancient Greece, but wrestling representatives presented it to the IOC as a sport of the future, reports USA Today.
Jim Scherr, a former wrestler and former CEO of the U.S. Olympic Committee said, “Wrestling is new in virtually every way.”
The sport will also be included in the 2024 games, reports the BBC.
Wrestling won out by a considerable majority against other contested sports. Wrestling won 49 votes, softball got 24, and squash got 22, according to USA Today.
