In a long-awaited announcement, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has officially “short-listed” sport climbing as a candidate for the 2020 Olympic games.

A press release from the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) called the July 4 decision “a step forward in the development of the sport and in the pursuit of the vision that always guided the efforts of the IFSC,” which was a vision of sport climbing as an Olympic sport.

Keith Ferguson, the Chief Executive Officer of USA Climbing and an IFSC Executive Board Member says, “We are thrilled to have made the shortlist of sports for inclusion in the 2020 Olympic Games. This is a testament to the hard work of the wonderful athletes who climb, the IFSC, all of the National Federations, and the many partners who support climbing competitions across the world.”

The other candidates in contention are baseball, softball, karate, roller sports, squash, wakeboarding, and wushu (a Chinese martial art). Only sport climbing, wakeboarding and wushu have never been officially considered before as potential Olympic sports.

These potential Olympic sports were chosen based on athletes’ profiles in gender, numbers and demographic, youth participation and contribution, a sport’s commitment to anti-doping regulations, and the potential for media development.

According to the USA Climbing website, sport climbing participants have risen from 21,000 in 2002 to 47,000 in 2006, according to the most recent figures available.

The IFSC statement says that sincethe organization’s formation in 2007 the sport has seen “tremendous growth.”

“[The IFSC] has a strong youth base and has been committed from the start to the strictest compliance with the WADA anti-doping code.”

The IOC will make a final decision at the 125th IOC session in Buenos Aires in 2013.

Photos by Kirk Meier from the Teva Games, Vail, CO