7. Arm-Wrestling
This might seem like a strange suggestion, especially when compared to current events such as athletics, boxing and swimming. However, when you remember that the Olympic motto is
Citius, Altius, Fortius (or Faster, Higher, Stronger for those of us who lack a classical education), arm wrestling doesnt seem like such a bad candidate for Olympic inclusion. There are few other events which encapsulate pure strength and power, and the fact that arm-wrestling involves direct competition between athletes (unlike weightlifting, where contestants dont have an active opposition), gives the event a nice competitive edge. Considering how much the London 2012 crowd got behind the strongmen, arm-wrestling would surely be another event that would cause roofs to be raised.
6. 20/20 Cricket
Surprisingly, cricket has also featured at the Olympics, this time all the way back in 1900, where the only two teams to compete were Britain and France (unsurprisingly, Britain won). Whilst still popular in Britain, cricket is also fiercely competitive in Australia, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa, the West Indies, and just about anywhere else that has been touched by British colonialism. Obviously playing test cricket at Olympic level would be impossible teams would need to start playing months before the opening ceremony, but 20/20 cricket offers a much more fast-paced version of the game, perfect for tournament set ups. With plenty of other team sports such as football, hockey and basketball making it into the Olympics, cricket surely deserves a spot there too after all, what game encapsulates summer better?