ESPN removes women’s vert skateboarding competition from X Games
ESPN, the leading sports network and host of X Games, announced on Monday, May 30th, that the women’s vert skateboarding competitions will not be a part of the upcoming X Games that are scheduled to begin from July 28th in Los Angeles.
The decision to remove the women’s event from the programmes came as a huge disappointment for the female skateboarders, feeling that they are being overlooked by the host of X Games.
ESPN, on the other hand, have looked to justify their decision by citing a number of reasons, which range from a decline in rate of women’s participation in skateboarding vert to an absence of a solid year-round infrastructure.
The statement that was released by the host of X Games to explain their decision read, “We look for sports that have a solid year-round infrastructure, a growing participant base, an established annual competition schedule, rising youth talent pools, ample
access to courses, low barriers of entry into the sport and myriad other factors.”
Justifying the removal of women’s vert from the mega-event of action sports by stating that the number of females interested in the sports is on a constant decline fails to satisfy the followers of the sport. They believe that events such as Girls Combi
Bowl Classic epitomise the existing, rather increasing, interest in the discipline.
While ESPN are not completely wrong to state that women do not have ample access to courses, the scenario for men is not too different either. The stagnant economy and high maintenance costs are causing courses all over the US to close down.
The leading sports network was right on the spot when they stated that X Games was the only vert competition for women. Unfortunately, this placed an additional responsibility on them to keep the sport alive instead of dealing it a huge blow by leaving it
orphan. The removal from the summer games will make it even more difficult for the participants of the sport from gaining recognition and helping the sport grow.
Women’s skateboarding made its official debut in the X Games in 2003 and had attracted a number of talented female skaters from all across the country to get their skills acknowledged. The sport faced some challenges over the years, but still managed to
hold firmly to its place in the mega-event.
Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins, an eight-time X Games medallist in vert skateboarding, thanked ESPN and X Games for giving the sport eight years to grow. The 21-year-old Californian believed that getting a chance to compete at the X Games was one of the biggest motivations
for majority of the females to take up the sport and excel at it.
Objecting to the ESPN’s decision, Hawkins said, “What the heck are we supposed to dream of now? As it stands today, we have no vert contests to look forward to. This, unfortunately, is going to end the growth for women's vert skating as we know it.”
With the removal of the sport, only eight female competitors remain in the line up for this year’s X Games. While the “Olympics of extreme sports” is continuously growing with each passing year, the women athletes are getting neglected and driven out of
the competition.
An initiative has been taken by Change.org to take a stand against the decision of ESPN regarding the removal of women’s vert competition from the X Games. All those keen to see the sport retained and an increase of women’s participating in X Games are invited
to go to the site and sign the online petition. Hopefully by getting enough signatories, the petition will be able to convince ESPN to review and reverse their decision.
The views expressed in this article are solely of the writer's and do not reflect the official editorial policy of Bettor.com
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