Athletics has had the number of competitors allowed at the Olympics reduced by more than 200. London 2012 saw 2,231 competitors but Rio 2016 will see a cap of 2,000, which has been enforced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Athletics will be the only sport to have its numbers cut for Rio 2016.
Nick Davies (IAAF Deputy General Secretary) said: “It is no problem for us and this has been done in consultation with us and with our full support. “
Vice-President of the IAAF and Chairman of the British Olympic Committee Seb Coe said he understood the decision and said: “If I ‘m being honest, we were over-quoted in London, so it ‘s back to what it should have been really so I think we are fairly relaxed about it. “
However, some argue that the reduction of athletes allowed to compete in Rio is reinforcing fears that athletics is losing its place as the Olympics’ number one sport. In previous years athletics has been the top ranked Olympic sport, with the IAAF standing alone in the top tier of revenue income. This year, in the IOC’s new revenue sharing scheme for Olympic sports, aquatics and gymnastics have been promoted to the same tier as athletics.
Coe states: “There are some philosophical issues about sharing number one status that we need to establish” but he is certain that athletics remains the number one Olympic sport.
