BRUSSELS, Oct 9 : The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Is considering dumping up to seven sports from the Olympic programme and replacing them with events such as triathlon, golf — or even beach volleyball, reports Reuter.

"Six or seven sports which have always been included but no longer comply with modern taste an needs may be scrubbed and replaced by others." Jacques Rogge, IOC member and chairman of the Association of European National Olympic committees, said

Rogge said triathlon would probably be Included on the list, gold stood a good chance because of Its popularity and beach volleyball was a posstbil Ity as It needed almost no facilities

He declined to say which sports might go in the shake up expected between the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and the 2000

Games

But a sports source, who asked not to be identified, said on Wednesday the most likely candidates appeared to be syn chroniscd swlmning. diving, water polo, modern pen tathlon. rowing, canoeing, fencing. sailing and showjumping.

Rogge ruled out an increase to the current number of 26 Olympic sports.

“Sports like triathlon arc al ready waiting at the door but they can't get in because there are already too many sports If one new sport Is Included, an other will have to disappear", he told Reuters in an inter view

"Its quite revolutionary. So far sports have always been added and the few that diaap peared, such as rugby, did so voluntarily".

Rogge said no decisions had been taken but endangered sports federations were lobby Ing hard to stay In the Olympic

programme

"For the moment wi are holding discussions with these federations, that's why I don't want to give any names It

would be unfair," he said. They should be given the chance, so they can prove they really can become popular.

Under threat are sports

practised in a limited number of countries, very expensive sports, sports requiring a lot of Infrastructure, sports not prac Used in third world countries, sports which no longer appeal to young people.

They have been given a warning. If they don't become popular, they get thrown out." Rogge said

He said the IOC would for bid new disciplines in any sport unless they replaced others.

"The big clean up will be between Atlanta and 2000. We want to give these sports the chance to develop as much as possible, lo prove that they can handle it".

The IOC also plans drastic action tn keeping the maxi mum number of athletes at future Games to 10,000

Rogge said the current number of 167 countries competing In the Olympics could mushroom to 190 or 195 by

1996, Including breakaway Soviet republics and countries from Africa

"If the number of athletes has to remain stable and the number of countries grows of course there will be fewer athletes per country, he said

Tougher qualifying stan dards may help solve the prob lem Many third world coun tries, which have never reached the level, register athletes. They register 10 to 20 athletes who don't belong at the games. Rogge Ad

But the new standards could also hit countries such as Britain, who usually send 500 competitors to the games. It'S very posslbk- Britain may se nd 10 to 15 per cent fewer alh-ktes to the gana-s. hr- said

The measure would have a limited impact* on next year s Barcelona Olympics but was bound to have a bigger Indu cnee in Atlanta, he added