Sport will be removed from 2028 Olympics with replacement already named

One sport will be removed from the 2028 Olympic Games and its replacement has already been confirmed.

The 2024 Paris Olympics drew to a close on Sunday, August 11, but already fans are looking ahead to the 2028 edition of the Games.

Los Angeles will host the 34th Olympiad, 44 year after the Californian city hosted the 1984 Games.

All the 'traditional' Olympic events have been included in the schedule, including gymnastics, swimming and track and field events.

However, there will be one sport that won't feature in L.A. despite only making its Olympic debut in Paris this summer.

Breakdancing has not been included on the schedule for the 2028 Games, a decision that was taken before this summer's Olympics had begun.

Breaking made its Olympic debut on Friday, August 9, with the B-girls event followed by the B-boys competition on Saturday.

Japan took gold in the B-girls event while Canada came out on top in the B-boys.

The breaking competition did draw criticism from some viewers though, largely due to the performance of Australian competitor Rachael Gunn, known as Raygun.

The 36-year-old was forced to defend herself after her unorthodox routine - which included a kangaroo hop and the sprinkler - went viral on social media.

Speaking after she failed to score a single point in any of her three breaking battles, Raygun expressed her disappointment that breaking won't feature at the 2028 Games.

"It was disappointing it was decided that it wouldn’t be in L.A., particularly before we even had a chance to show it," she said.

Olympic breakdancer Raygun was given zero points by the judges. [Getty]

"That was possibly a little premature. I wonder if they’re kicking themselves now?

"What is an Olympic sport? What are the similarities between dressage and artistic swimming and the 100m sprint and the pentathlon?

"Breaking is clearly athletic, it clearly requires a whole level of dedication across a number of different aspects. It’s really bringing a new level of excitement."

In the absence of breaking, the 2028 Olympics will see the return of cricket after a 128 year absence.

Cricket has only featured once at the Olympics - in 1900 - and will be played in a Twenty20 format.

Along with cricket, baseball, softball and lacrosse will all return for the L.A. Games after periods of absence, while flag football and squash will feature from the very first time.

Optional events skateboarding and speed climbing - the former made its Olympics debut in Tokyo in 2021 - will become permanent events.

There is hope within the breakdance community that breaking will return for the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane, Australia.

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