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AFP
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It's a sport with millions of fans all over
the globe and for 30 years, top sporting officials have continued
to campaign to prove that their sports deserve an Olympic
status.
Speed skating, a great spectator sport, with high level of
competition and quality athletes, has been nominated by the
International Roller Sports Federation (FIRS) to represent
roller sports at the Olympics.
Like golf, rugby, squash and karate, it hopes to win a berth
in the 2012 Olympics. All that will be decided at the 117th
IOC Session in Singapore.
The FIRS believes that speed skating, of the three major
roller disciplines, has the best shot at Olympic inclusion.
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There are three major roller disciplines
- speed skating, roller hockey and figure skating.
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The first known skates were created
in the 1760s and possessed a single line of wheels.
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The correct term to use when describing
skating is in-line roller skating or in-line skating,
not "rollerblading." Rollerblade is
an in-line skate manufacturer, not an activity.
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Unlike the roller hockey and figure skating, it is neither
a team sport nor a subjective sport - there will be little
or no judging controversies, first person to cross the line
wins.
Four events proposed by the roller federation are 300-metre
time trial, a 500-metre sprint, a 5-kilometre race, and a
20-kilometre elimination.
And you can be sure that the best skaters will be present
at the 2012 Games should it become and Olympic sport.
Inline skating guru Sandy Snakenberg, who once held the record
for the longest distance in the 24 hour in-line race event,
said: "As opposed to other sports like golf or maybe
even the likes of football, where most of it is about money,
but these guys on the other hand, they've got the passion,
the dedication, the commitment, all the hours that have gone
into preparation when they represent themselves at the World
Championships, the European Championships, the American Championships.
"It's not a lot of prize money, it's all about pride
and glory for either themselves or for the country or for
the clubs that they represent."
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