As the Paris 2024 Olympics kick off, is sidelined in several key sports, noting gaps in athlete development and competitive readiness.
Track cycling continues to elude Brazilian athletes, with no qualifiers since the 2016 Rio Olympics. This sport, demanding high levels of skill and infrastructure, remains underdeveloped in Brazil.
Surprisingly, the men’s football team, historically successful with two Olympic golds, also failed to qualify this year, finishing a disappointing third in the pre-Olympic trials.
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The introduction of breaking and sport climbing in Tokyo brought new opportunities, yet Brazilian athletes fell short in qualifying for these as well. The trend continued in 3×3 basketball, with both men’s and women’s teams missing out on Paris after their absence in Tokyo 2020.
Here’s a quick rundown of the sports Brazil will miss out on in Paris:
- – Track Cycling
- – Men’s Football
- – Breaking
- – Sport Climbing
- – 3×3 Basketball
- – Men’s Handball
- – Field Hockey
- – Men’s Wrestling
- – Men’s Marathon Swimming
- – Men’s Water Polo
- – Men’s Rugby Sevens
- – Men’s Modern Pentathlon
- – Men’s Diving (10-meter platform due to injury)
The injury to diver Isaac Souza, who was ruled out of the 10-meter platform due to a tendon rupture, further dampens Brazil’s competitive prospects. His withdrawal is indicative of the physical toll on athletes pushing their limits without adequate support.
The varied absence across these sports is not merely a setback for medal hopes but exposes the need for Brazil to fortify its athlete development programs.
