5. Snooker
I may have dismissed pools suitability for the Olympics earlier on in this article, but the game of snooker is a different matter altogether, being a much more precise and technical game, played almost exclusively by professionals rather than people in pubs. Requiring an immense level of skill, in the vein of events such as archery, the game may not be athletic in the traditional meaning of the word, but requires a high level of endurance and intellect. Tense and captivating, it would appeal greatly to Olympic audiences, particularly given its rapid expansion in popularity across the globe in the last few years. Unlike some of the other sports Ive featured on this list, it wouldnt require a specialist facility, merely a few tables in an indoor venue. A criticism may be the game takes too long, but like cricket, a relatively new version has been developed to allow for faster-paced games, featuring six red balls instead of fifteen, which could be an effective way to introduce the game to countries in which it isnt contested.