The International Olympic Committee will decide next month if sports, including golf and rugby should replace others.

A number of USOC's key sponsors have sent letters to IOC president Jacques Rogge, supporting the continued existence of the sports.

USOC president Marty Mankamyer said on Monday: "I am cautiously optimistic.

"We figured that if we were going to lose, we were going to lose going down every way we could."

The IOC is expected to vote whether to keep the three sports at a meeting next month in Mexico City.

Mankamyer agreed to the principle of limiting the size of the Games but believed the IOC may not have totally "thought it through" where her sports were concerned.

USOC alternatives to the total removal of the sports include limiting the number of support personnel involved and having a shortened baseball and softball schedule to allow the sports to share the same venue.

Sport at risk

Major league baseball is also looking at ways to include its star players.

"Major league baseball has been very supportive," Mankamyer said.

"They think with a shortened format, they would be able to try and get some of their headliners."

The USOC is also lobbying individual members of the IOC.

It has built a database that includes the country and sport background of the 120-plus members, and is reminding them it could be their sport at risk next time.

So far, Mankamyer said, the support had been encouraging.