The International Olympic Committee has confirmed that the compound archery will be making its debut in the 2028 edition of the global event.
The announcement confirmed that the compound mixed team event will be added to the archery programme in Los Angeles. Under the mixed rules, five events will be hosted – men’s and women’s individual, men’s and women’s team, and mixed team – on the programme, bringing the total number of archery medals available to six.
According to World Archery, it will be the first time since archery’s introduction to the Olympics in 1972, that a new style is being added to the competition. World Archery President Prof Dr Ugur Erdener, who presented with the Olympic Order, highlighted the growing popularity of the sport and added that the successful games in Paris helped it earn its spot in the Olympics.
“This is a monumental step forward for the sport and for the millions of compound archers worldwide who have long sought Olympic recognition. My profound gratitude goes to the International Olympic Committee, not least IOC President Thomas Bach for his great interest in this important project, and the LA28 Organising Committee for their support throughout the process,” Erdener said.
“I am deeply proud of the work of the whole archery community, and our athletes, who have helped make this a reality, and I am so excited to witness what our first Olympic compound archers will achieve in Los Angeles,” he added.
Notably, compound archery was invented in the United States of America and it uses cams and pulleys to efficiently power an arrow downrange. It featured in the World Games for the first time in 2013 and at recent continental multisport events in the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Pacific.
“Since the launch of the Archery World Cup in 2006, recurve and compound have been treated as equals in participation, promotion and prize money. The exceptional work of our continental federations in adding compound events to multisport Games, and our athletes in promoting the bowstyle, have demonstrated why compound is a valuable addition to the Olympic programme,”said World Archery secretary general Tom Dielen.
