1986

The year the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed professional sports federations to permit their athletes to compete in Olympic games. In 1988, professionals in tennis, soccer, and equestrian sports were permitted to compete in the 1988 games in Los Angeles. 1988 also marked the year when the International Basketball Federation (IBF) allowed professional basketball players to join the Olympics. The USA’s “Dream Team”, led by Michael Jordan, went on to win the gold medal in 1992 in Barcelona. International boxing groups, such as the Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA), only allows amateurs to participate in Olympic events, partly due to differences in scoring and rules in amateur and professional boxing matches. And this is the reason why Manny Pacquiao won’t win the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medal.