Dramatic changes promised for next Olympics - and it’s great for Australia

Breaking is out, boxing is likely gone too but that’s just the start of what will be a dramatically looking Olympics in LA in four years time.

Paris has been an Olympic blast.

But things will look very different when “the youth of the world” gather in Los Angeles in four years’ time.

Two of the most controversial sports of the past fortnight could be gone.

Breaking is definitely out.

The sport has already been dropped from the program and has no guarantees it will return in the future.

“It was disappointing it was decided that it wouldn’t be in LA, particularly before we even had a chance to show it,” said Australian B-girl Rachel “Raygun” Gunn.

“I think that was possibly a little premature. I wonder if they’re kicking themselves now.”

Raygun has been shown the door. (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP)

Boxing is also on the cusp of going missing altogether - after being part of the Games for more than a century.

Boxing has long been one of the core sports of the Olympics, the launch pad for Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Oscar de la Hoya, Lennox Lewis, Sugar Ray Leonard and many others.

In Paris, though the controversy over Algeria’s Imane Khelif has only put a further question mark over a sport that was already on the ropes.

IOC chiefs took over the running of the Olympic event in Tokyo from the official world governing body, the IBA, led by Russia’s Umar Kremlev - the man who banned Ukraine after his country invaded its neighbour in 2022.

While the four British boxing associations helped form the breakaway World Boxing organisation in a bid to wrest control of the sport from Kremlev and his lackeys, it is currently not on the Los Angeles roster.

Boxing might not make it to Oscar de la Hoya’s home town.

IOC President Thomas Bach warned a decision has to be taken soon.

Bach said: “The answer will be at some point in the next year, as soon as possible but I don’t think we can expect a final decision before next year.

“I hope we’ll have an answer in the first half of next year.

“The IOC will not organise boxing without a reliable partner. If they want their athletes to win Olympic medals, they have to organise themselves as a federation.”

But a likely boxing-less Games will be just part of a significant revamp both in the sports involved and the schedule.

In will come five different sports, with the return of cricket - expected to be in the T20 format - for the first time since 1900, a massive inclusion for Australia.

Pat Cummins is 31 - can he hang on for cricket’s reintroduction? (Photo by Money SHARMA / AFP)

We will also see, after years of lobbying, squash, plus lacrosse, baseball and softball and flag football - think a “tag rugby” version of NFL action.

But a major timetable change will see the Games open on July 14, two weeks earlier than they did in Paris.

That will be just five days after the Euro 2028 Final at Wembley and the men’s singles final at Wimbledon.

For the first time since 1968, athletics will be scheduled in the first week, with swimming filling week two.

The early start will also mean golf’s superstars hotfooting it back over the Atlantic in a 13-hour flight to California with the final round of The Open taking place on the Games’ first weekend.

Get ready for the biggest swimming stadium ever.

And diving outdoors.

Track and field will go back to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the main 1984 stadium, with SoFi Stadium transformed into the biggest swimming venue in history after hosting the opening ceremony.

The majority of events will be contained within a 40km radius of downtown LA, with venues including Long Beach, for triathlon, sailing and rowing - although the normal 2km race distance will be cut by 500m - and Santa Monica Beach.

But spare a thought for Jessica Fox and the paddlers. The canoe venue is in Oklahoma City, 2000km due east of the host city.

The paddling is being held in Oklahoma City.

Fans can also expect the Games to be littered with celebrities and A-listers, who have already started making their mark.

Rapper Snoop Dogg has been spotted all over Paris, while the likes of Tom Cruise and Ariana Grande have also been seen enjoying themselves.

Expect them and more to be back in four years time.

Whatever happens, though, there is the guarantee: heartbreak and fairytales in La La Land.

- with The Sun