The International Golf Federation (IGF) Olympic Committee is continuing its efforts to add golf to the 2016 Summer Olympic Games and is looking for constituent support.
Ty Votaw, Executive Director of the IGF Olympic Committee, provided a progress report to IGF delegates from more than 70 countries and the 18-member International Golf Federation Administrative Committee last week during the World Amateur Team Championships in Adelaide Australia. He asked the delegates to interact with members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from their respective countries, to voice their support of the golf movement, and to reinforce the virtues of the game as a potential Olympic sport.
Member organizations reportedly pledged their support through future efforts and are providing financial backing over the next 12 months to help defray the costs of bidding.
Golf is bidding for inclusion in the Olympics for the first time since 1904 when it was contested in St. Louis, Missouri.
The IOC is to determine in October 2009 whether to add two of seven sports under consideration for the 2016 Games – golf, baseball, karate, roller sports, rugby sevens, softball and squash.
Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of the R&A and co-secretary of the IGF said, “the IGF effort to promote Olympic golf will benefit significantly by maximizing the exposure it receives”.
