Three Successful Sports for Hungary Taken Off Olympics 2028 Program List?

Boxing, modern pentathlon, and weightlifting have all been left out of the initial program of events for the Los Angeles Games after the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision. IOC’s potential decision would strike a major blow to Hungary, as these three sports have brought a total of 63 medals so far for Hungarian athletes.

IOC stated that these three sports must show that they have addressed issues that have recently been raised.

• Amateur boxing– governing body AIBA has been mired in a scandal over its judging system with a recent investigation that uncovered rigged fights at the 2016 Olympics.
• Weightlifting has been ordered to eradicate a long history of doping.
• Modern pentathlon is in discussions to replace its show-jumping element, after the scandal in Tokyo and its aftermath.

As a matter of fact, in contrast to the move, skateboarding, surfing, and sports climbing have officially been added to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The decision was somewhat expected after IOC’s executive board had agreed to an initial list of 28 sports back in December.

Three Hungarian successful sports

Important to note that the decision is not yet final; they can still be added next year by meeting targets set by the IOC board.

A final negative decision in the future would definitely hit Hungarian sports hard, as all three are historically known and successful in Hungary, with a total of 63 medals claimed until now.

• In modern pentathlon, Hungary is actually the most successful country in the world in the history of modern Olympics, having claimed 9 gold, 8 silver, and 6 bronze medals.

Most of the glory, however, dates back to the 70s, 80s, and 90s. It was Sarolta Kovács in this last Olympics who bagged the last medal after she came in third.

• In amateur boxing, Hungary stands in sixth (seventh if the Soviet Union and Russia are counted separately) place with 10 gold, 2 silver, and 8 bronze medals.

These past years haven’t marked the heydays of the sport, as Zsolt Erdei was the last Hungarian boxer able to step up on the podium (bronze in Sydney 2000). In addition, sadly only one Hungarian boxer, Roland Gálos, represented Hungary in Tokyo, not seen since 1924 (except, of course, for the boycotted Los Angeles Games in 1984).

• In weightlifting, Hungary so far bagged 2 gold, 9 silver, and 9 bronze medals (22nd place overall).

Eszter Krutzler was the last athlete able to clinch a medal (silver in Athens 2004).

featured image: Hungary’s Péter Nagy in Tokyo; via Zsolt Czeglédi/MTI