By the time the 31st Olympiad finishes in Rio de Janeiro, over 300 events across 28 sports will have been contested. One sport that won’t feature is futsal (sometimes referred to as 5-a-side), the little brother of the world’s most popular sport, football which does have its own place at the Olympic Games.
Football South Coast 5-a-side coordinator, Michael Panozzo is adamant that futsal should be a part of the Games because of its association with football and its popularity compared to the recent additions of rugby sevens and surfing. “It’s fast, there’s lots of goals and it is exciting” Panozzo said when asked about how compelling it would be for the spectators.