On Thursday the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed that golf and rugby sevens are under consideration for inclusion in future Games.

But sports including surfing, chess and ballroom dancing were all rejected by the IOC.

The inclusion of new events is likely to mean sports such as baseball, modern pentathlon and softball will be axed.

Disciplines such as racewalking and canoe/kayak slalom, and events including keelboat sailing and team synchronized swimming may also be scrapped.

IOC president Jacques Rogge said: "We are not going to have the number of sports increasing without any sports going out. It is set at a maximum 28.

"Of course there are difficult decisions. Our intention is have the best possible Olympic programme."

The proposals are some of the most radical changes to the Olympics to be discussed and will cause serious debate among international federations and in the IOC.

Minority sports like baseball and softball all rely on IOC revenue to keep them going.

Softball and baseball were given $4.17m (�2.74m) after the Sydney Games two years ago.

The IOC report said that although baseball was very popular in certain countries, its popularity was "not reflected throughout entire regions or continents".

Rogge said the decision over which sports to include will be taken at the IOC congress in Mexico in November.

No change of programme is planned for the next Summer Games in Athens in 2004.