Nick Laham via Getty Images
国際オリンピック委員会（IOC）のバッハ会長は10月23日、2020年の東京オリンピックで実施する競技を、追加することが可能だとの認識を示した。野球やソフトボールの復活する可能性が広がった形だ。ロイターUS版などが報じた。
オリンピックで実施される競技については、オリンピック憲章で競技数の上限を28としているほか、実施する競技は大会の7年前までに決めることも定められている。2013年10月のIOC総会では2020年のオリンピック競技を選ぶ投票が行われたが、野球やスカッシュは落選した。
IOCのトーマス・バッハ会長は23日、「オリンピックプログラムには、柔軟性が必要だ」と述べ、参加選手数の上限1万500人を増やさないならば、7年前でなくても競技数を増やすことに問題はないとする考えを示した。「オリンピック憲章」を柔軟に運用できるよう12月にモナコで開かれる臨時総会で議論するという。
日本では野球やソフトボールの人気が高い。バッハ会長はこの2つのスポーツへの言及は避けたが、このルールは東京オリンピックでも適用されることになるのかとの質問に、「IOCと大会組織委員会、当該国際競技団体の間で合意があれば、（実施競技は）いつでも変えられる」と述べた。
オリンピックでの実施競技を増やすことは、施設建設などで負担も増えると考えられ、競技数は厳格に制限すべきとの見方もある。しかし東京では、野球やソフトボールは既存施設が活用でき、準備期間が短くても対応できるという。
北京オリンピック 野球 画像集
Japan's relief pitcher Yu Darvish (#18)(01 of21)
Japan\'s relief pitcher Yu Darvish (#18) delivers a pitch in the eighth inning against the US in their men\'s bronze medal baseball game at the Wukesong Baseball Venue during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 23, 2008. The US won 8-4 to take home the bronze. AFP PHOTO / KAZUHIRO NOGI (Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:KAZUHIRO NOGI via Getty Images)
Japan's manager Senichi Hoshino (R) cong(02 of21)
Japan\'s manager Senichi Hoshino (R) congratulates with his US counterpart, Davey Johnson, after their men\'s bronze medal baseball game at the Wukesong Baseball Venue during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 23, 2008. The US won 8-4 to take home the bronze. AFP PHOTO / KAZUHIRO NOGI (Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:KAZUHIRO NOGI via Getty Images)
Olympics Day 12 - Baseball(03 of21)
BEIJING - AUGUST 20: Tsuyoshi Nishioka of Japan prepares to hit against the United States at the Wukesong Baseball Field during Day 12 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 20, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) (credit:Nick Laham via Getty Images)
Olympics Day 15 - Baseball(04 of21)
BEIJING - AUGUST 23: Tsuyoshi Wada #21 of Japan throws a pitch against the United States during the men\'s bronze medal baseball game held at Wukesong Baseball Field on Day 15 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 23, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) (credit:Jonathan Ferrey via Getty Images)
Olympics Day 15 - Baseball(05 of21)
BEIJING - AUGUST 23: Tsuyoshi Wada #21 of Japan throws a pitch against the United States during the men\'s bronze medal baseball game held at Wukesong Baseball Field on Day 15 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 23, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) (credit:Jonathan Ferrey via Getty Images)
Japanese fans look disappointed at the e(06 of21)
Japanese fans look disappointed at the end of the men\'s bronze medal baseball game between Japan and the US at the Wukesong Baseball Venue during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 23, 2008. The US won 8-4 to take home the bronze. AFP PHOTO / OMAR TORRES (Photo credit should read OMAR TORRES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:OMAR TORRES via Getty Images)
Japan's manager Senichi Hoshino (front R(07 of21)
Japan\'s manager Senichi Hoshino (front R) congratulates US players after their men\'s bronze medal baseball game at the Wukesong Baseball Venue during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 23, 2008. The US won 8-4 to take home the bronze. AFP PHOTO / KAZUHIRO NOGI (Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:KAZUHIRO NOGI via Getty Images)
US runner Matt Brown (L) slides safely i(08 of21)
US runner Matt Brown (L) slides safely into second base in front of the tag by Masahiro Araki (R) of Japan in the bottom of the fifth inning of their men\'s bronze medal game against Japan at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 23, 2008. AFP PHOTO / OMAR TORRES (Photo credit should read OMAR TORRES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:OMAR TORRES via Getty Images)
Japan's Norichika Aoki hits a three-run(09 of21)
Japan\'s Norichika Aoki hits a three-run homerun against the US in the third inning during their men\'s bronze medal baseball game at the Wukesong Baseball Venue during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 23, 2008. AFP PHOTO/KAZUHIRO NOGI (Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:KAZUHIRO NOGI via Getty Images)
Teammates congratulte Japan's Masahiro A(10 of21)
Teammates congratulte Japan\'s Masahiro Araki (C) in the dugout after he hit a homerun in the top of the first inning during their men\'s bronze medal baseball game against the US at the Wukesong Baseball Venue during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 23, 2008. AFP PHOTO/Omar TORRES (Photo credit should read OMAR TORRES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:OMAR TORRES via Getty Images)
Olympics Day 14 - Baseball(11 of21)
BEIJING - AUGUST 22: (L-R) Takahiro Arai #25, Hiroyuki Nakajima #3, Norichika Aoki #23 and Tsuyoshi Nishioka #7 of Japan stand in the dugout after losing to Korea in the men\'s semifinal game at the Wukesong Baseball Field on Day 14 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 22, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) (credit:Harry How via Getty Images)
Olympics Day 14 - Baseball(12 of21)
BEIJING - AUGUST 22: Kyuji Fujikawa #28 of Japan pitches to Korea during the men\'s semifinal game at the Wukesong Baseball Field on Day 14 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 22, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) (credit:Harry How via Getty Images)
Olympics Day 14 - Baseball(13 of21)
BEIJING - AUGUST 22: Akihiro Yano #39 of Japan reacts after Korea scores the game tying run during the men\'s semifinal game at the Wukesong Baseball Field on Day 14 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 22, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) (credit:Harry How via Getty Images)
Japanese leftfielder Takahiko Sato bobbl(14 of21)
Japanese leftfielder Takahiko Sato bobbles a fly ball at the warning track, allowing two South Korean runners to score, in the top of the eighth inning of their men\'s semifinal baseball game at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 22, 2008. South Korea beat Japan 6-2 to advance to the final. AFP PHOTO / OMAR TORRES (Photo credit should read OMAR TORRES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:OMAR TORRES via Getty Images)
Olympics Day 12 - Baseball(15 of21)
BEIJING - AUGUST 20: Hitoki Iwase of Japan pitches against the United States at the Wukesong Baseball Field during Day 12 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 20, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) (credit:Nick Laham via Getty Images)
Japan's Hiroyuki Nakajima (L) gestures w(16 of21)
Japan\'s Hiroyuki Nakajima (L) gestures with his glove to high-five Munenori Kawasaki (R) after he made an infield play off a hit by Jason Donald of the US at the top of the eigth inning in their men\'s preliminary round baseball game at the Wukesong Baseball Venue during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 20, 2008. AFP PHOTO /Frederic J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:FREDERIC J. BROWN via Getty Images)
Japan's Takahiro Sato (C) is congratulat(17 of21)
Japan\'s Takahiro Sato (C) is congratulated by teammates after crossing home plate for a score off a hit by Akihiro Yano in the bottom of the second inning in their men\'s preliminary round baseball game at the Wukesong Baseball Venue during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 19, 2008. AFP PHOTO /Frederic J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:FREDERIC J. BROWN via Getty Images)
Japanese relief pitcher Koji Uehara deli(18 of21)
Japanese relief pitcher Koji Uehara delivers a pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning to Canada\'s Adam Stern in their men\'s preliminary round baseball game at the Wukesong Baseball Venue during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 18, 2008. Japan beat Canada 1- 0. AFP PHOTO /Frederic J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:FREDERIC J. BROWN via Getty Images)
Japan's relief pitcher Masahiro Tanaka w(19 of21)
Japan\'s relief pitcher Masahiro Tanaka winds up on his delivery to Danny Rombley of the Netherlands at the top of the eigth inning in their men\'s preliminary baseball game at the Wukesong Baseball Venue during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 15, 2008. AFP PHOTO /Frederic J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:FREDERIC J. BROWN via Getty Images)
Japanese relief pitcher Koji Uehara (L)(20 of21)
Japanese relief pitcher Koji Uehara (L) celebrates with Takahiro Arai (R) after closing out the game with three outs in the bottom of the ninth inning against Canada in their men\'s preliminary round baseball game at the Wukesong Baseball Venue during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 18, 2008. Japan defeated Canada 1- 0. AFP PHOTO /Frederic J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:FREDERIC J. BROWN via Getty Images)
Japan's Takahiro Arai (L) gestures with(21 of21)
Japan\'s Takahiro Arai (L) gestures with reserve leftfielder Shinya Miyamoto (R) after getting to first base in the bottom of the fourth inning in their men\'s preliminary round baseball game at the Wukesong Baseball Venue during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 16, 2008. AFP PHOTO /Frederic J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:FREDERIC J. BROWN via Getty Images)
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