As attention surrounding the 2024 Paris Olympics begins to settle, people are looking back and questioning some of the sports included in this year’s lineup, especially the newly-minted event, breaking. This reflection raises a common question: What sports should be included in the Olympics, the highest stage for athletics in the world?

At the 1896 Athens Olympics, the beginning of the modern-day Games, there were 43 events across ten sports, such as track and field, cycling, wrestling and weightlifting. In contrast, the 2024 Paris Olympics had 329 medal events spanning 32 different sports.

The increase in sports at the Olympics could be attributed to the rise in new and popular sports worldwide. However, it also allows lesser-known sports to earn their spot on the world stage.

While this is mostly a good thing, some sports may not belong in the Olympics.

One notable part of this year’s Games was the controversy surrounding Rachael Gunn, an Australian athlete who participated in the breaking event. Many were concerned that she had “manipulated” her way onto the Olympic stage, with some calling her performance “a mockery of the Australian [breakdancing] scene.”

The public’s response to Gunn’s performance highlights why certain events, such as breaking, should be excluded from the Olympics.

Dance takes many forms across the world and even splits into subforms within specific regions. This subjectivity makes it much harder to judge and even harder to score, especially by judges unfamiliar with the differences in technique, form and style.

For this reason, it should not be judged on the Olympic stage, although it’s certainly a technically difficult and entertaining sport.

There are also other sports that stray too far from the original intentions of the modern Olympics. Equestrian events such as dressage, eventing and jumping, all fit into this category.

Equestrian events shift the focus from the athleticism of the competing athlete to the pedigree and innate skills of the horse. This goes against the intentions of the modern Olympics: to highlight the skills of human athletes and to promote athleticism, fitness and health.

Equestrian events also bring up ethical dilemmas, such as accessibility for less affluent countries and animal welfare concerns. Doping scandals are also a major cause for concern in the equestrian community.

So, what makes a sport worthy of being included in the Olympics?

Sports that are globally popular and accessible, such as swimming and track and field, play a large role in the Olympics and shouldn’t be contested. People in any country can run, swim and jump a hurdle.

Another factor is the sport’s level of competitiveness and its ability to display athletic skill. Olympic sports should highlight the intense level of training that athletes undergo to make it to the global stage.

Popularity is also something to consider when determining what sports should be included in the Olympics. A sport that is popular worldwide, such as soccer, boxing or basketball, has earned its place in the Olympics.

There are also many sports not included in the 2024 Olympics that should have been. Sports such as baseball, softball and cricket should be included, as all three are widely popular, showcase athleticism and are accessible to any country willing to participate.

As the nature of athletics changes over time, new sports are sure to emerge. Rather than rushing to add them to the next Olympics, we should consider whether they truly belong on the highest global stage.

By judging sports based on a particular set of criteria that considers the intricate details of what makes a sport eligible to be in the Olympics, we can begin to reevaluate the events we put on the global stage — and ensure we don’t have a Spikeball tournament at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.