Now an official sport, pole dancing sets sights on Olympic Games inclusion

  • 17/10/2017
Pole dancing was made an official sport last week
Pole dancing was made an official sport last week Photo credit: International Pole Sport Federation

Believe or not but pole dancing has been recognised as an official sport and the next step may be the Olympic Games.

The sport has traditionally been associated with strip clubs, but could soon be seen on international sports biggest stage.

After a 11-year fight, the Global Association of International Sports Federation confirmed the activity would be classed as a professional sport.

Pole dancing campaigner Katie Coates, president of the International Pole Sports Federation, has her sights set on becoming a part of the Olympic Games.

"In the early 2000s people started doing it as fitness and taking away the sex stigma," she said.

Katie Coates, president of the International Pole Sports Federation
Katie Coates, president of the International Pole Sports Federation Photo credit: IPSF

"No high heels and making it accessible for average people.

"Pole dancing is not like everyone thinks it is, you need to actually watch it to understand.

"Competitions started but they were very amateur, with friends of friends doing the judging. My goal initially was to make it more professional.

"I feel like we have achieved the impossible, everyone told us that we would not be able to get pole dancing recognised as a sport."

10,000 people have already signed a petition to have the sport included in an Olympic programme.

Recently the governing body also entered the sport into the World Anti-Doping Agency's testing pool - a step to further legitimise the sport.

"Traditional sports are losing popularity; new sports are far more popular with young people.

"The Olympic committee work in eight-year cycles, so it won't be the next Olympics or the one after but who knows. Look at skateboarding, they snuck that in quietly for 2020," said Coates.

Newshub.