Climbers hope Paris paves the way for smoother ascent at future Games

CAPE TOWN : Sport climbing's introduction to the Olympic Games in Tokyo was not without controversy but with a growing global audience and an extra gold medal available in Paris the president of its governing body hopes for a smoother ascent in the coming years.

Marco Scolaris, president of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), believes the issues that plagued the sport at Tokyo have now largely been resolved. 

Climbers across bouldering, lead and speed had to compete for a single combined gold medal on offer three years ago despite the stark differences in the disciplines.

In Paris, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have allocated two gold medals in both the men's and women's events.

"We accepted this compromise believing that when the IOC officials came to watch (in Tokyo), they will see immediately the difference between the disciplines and that it is natural to split the events into different medals," Scolaris told Reuters. 

"The decision was made not to leave any discipline out in view of a long cycle of development of the sport that would eventually give each one the recognition it deserves. Where we were not good was to explain this to our community."

Speed will have its own medal in Paris with the previous Games considered a success despite the backlash from many participants. 

Scolaris said being on the programme in Tokyo boosted the sport's visibility and that there were now almost 100 countries affiliated with the IFSC. 

"We see that many national Olympic committees are aware of the sport and the attraction it has on younger generations," he added.

"Maybe they are not ready to invest now, but it has opened their eyes and they see the opportunities for investment in the future.

"The number of