Wrestling to be dropped from 2020 Olympic Games

Wrestling, one of the oldest sports in the Olympics, will be dropped by 2020, the International Olympic Committee said in a surprise decision.

The move by the executive board of the IOC comes after observers predicted that pentathlon -- which combines fencing, horse riding, swimming, running and shooting -- could be on the chopping block, reports The Associated Press.

Wrestling was part of the very first modern Olympic Games in 1896.

The move means a new sport can be included. Up for consideration are: baseball and softball, karate, squash, roller sports, sport climbing, wakeboarding and wushu (a martial art).

While the sport that dates back to ancient Greece and Rome got the boot, newer sports including synchronized swimming, trampoline and BMX biking remain safely on the approved list -- at least for now.