The International Olympic Committee decided on Tuesday to change the way sports are included in the Games and the votes they need to do so in a bid to be more flexible and attractive to sports that are left out.

The IOC has already set a maximum of 28 sports and a minimum of 25. The Beijing 2008 Games will be the last to feature 28 sports as baseball and softball were removed from the 2012 London Games program last year.

For the 2016 Games the IOC will have a core of 26 sports with the possibility of introducing two more.

But for the 2020 Games it has decided to bring down the number to 25, giving the opportunity to a maximum of three sports to be potentially voted in.

The IOC said this change, coupled with a simple majority of votes compared to the current two thirds needed to bring in a sport, would make the process more exciting.

"This will be more interesting for sports wanting to come in. It will make the process less conservative and more flexible," the IOC's Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli told Reuters.

The Executive Board would propose to the IOC Session, which comprises all members, a block of 25 sports when they convene in 2013 to determine the programme for the 2020 Games.

The IOC said it would also modify the Olympic Charter regarding the votes needed to introduce or remove a sport.

"The Olympic Charter will be modified so that a simple majority is needed for the inclusion of new sports," IOC Director of Communications Giselle Davies said.

This will happen at the next IOC Session in July 2007 and come into immediate effect, she added.

(China Daily November 30, 2006)