Seven sports make pitch for spots in Olympics in 2016

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — With seven sports vying for inclusion in the 2016 Summer Games, Colin Montgomerie and Annika Sorenstam delivered the message Monday that winning an Olympic gold medal in golf would be as important as winning a major.

Montgomerie, the European Ryder Cup captain, and Sorenstam, the Swedish great who retired last year after winning 10 majors, were the biggest names on hand when the sports federations made pitches to the International Olympic Committee executive board.

Baseball, softball, rugby sevens, roller sports, squash and karate also put their case to the board, which will meet in Berlin on Aug. 13 to select two sports to put forward for ratification at the IOC general assembly in Copenhagen in October.

“All seven sports made interesting and informative presentations,” IOC president Jacques Rogge said in a statement. “All have something to offer. In the end, the decision will come down to which are the best fit for the Olympic program.”

Golf and rugby sevens — a shortened version of the more established 15-a-side game — have emerged as the favorites for acceptance on the Olympic program.

Golf was played at the 1900 Paris Olympics and 1904 St. Louis Games, where only Canada and the United States competed.

One of the main issues has been whether golf’s top multimillionaire players would bother to compete in the Olympics, when they already have a full schedule of majors, tour events and international team competitions.

Montgomerie and Sorenstam came to Lausanne to provide the answer.

“I can’t think of a tougher championship,” Sorenstam said. “You only get a chance to win once every four years rather than four times a year. The moments when you represent your own country are the highlights of your career. It doesn’t happen very often. There is something special about that.”

The IOC’s final decision will be made on Oct. 9, seven days after the 2016 host city is selected from Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.

In a new twist, the IOC said Monday that even those five sports that fail to make the cut in August will be invited to Copenhagen. If the two recommended sports fail to win majority approval from the IOC assembly, it’s possible the other five could still get a chance to be voted onto the program, IOC sports director Christophe Dubi said.

Softball and baseball are seeking a return to the Olympics after being voted off the program for the 2012 London Games in 2005. The other five failed to win enough votes for inclusion in 2005.

Baseball — which has failed to bring top major league players to the Olympics — is offering a shortened five-day, eight-team format intended to ensure the participation of a “selection of the best players available.”