The Italian Aerospace Information Web
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CLEAR RECOMMANDATIONS OF THE OLYMPIC PROGRAMME COMMISSION
Only golf and rugby were recommended for admission to the Olympic programme. The Commission recommended rejecting the applications of 14 other candidate sports, amongst them parachuting, to enter the Programme of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing, 2008.
The Olympic Programme Commission pointed out that any changes in the structure of the Olympic Programme should result in increased value and appeal of the Olympic Games, that global public and media interest should be considered as key elements in the analyses of sports, and that sports should give special emphasis to youth and development.
Taking into consideration statistics on federation affiliation, number of nations competing in major events, and broadcast and press coverage, the Commission estimated that most sports bidding to enter the Games would not bring a higher level of global participation and interest than sports currently on the Programme. However, by interpreting Rule 52, Paragraph 4.2 of the Olympic Charter ('.events in which performance depends essentially on mechanical propulsion are not acceptable') as not applying when mechanical propulsion is used purely as technical support for the competition in areas unrelated to the sporting performance itself, the IOC left the door open for future bids by air sports such as parachuting.