In the recently concluded 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, windsurfing was one of the official events under the sailing discipline. It has been included since 1984 for men and 1992 for women. However, the sport was almost removed from the Olympic program as a result of a misunderstanding.
In May 2012, the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) made a surprise announcement that windsurfing would be removed from the Olympic games to be replaced by kiteboading, a similar sport that uses a kite instead of a sail to propel a board across the water. At the time, the ISAF described kiteboarding as an excellent addition. However, various windsurfing federations pressured the sailing chiefs into reinstating the sport.
As it turned out, the decision to include kiteboarding was a result of confusion, as the delegates who voted for kiteboarding failed to understand the motion due to ambiguity in various language translations. For example, the Spanish Sailing Federation admitted its representative's mistake in voting. The ISAF eventually reversed its decision and windsurfing remained an Olympic Sport.