Norman, who announced on Friday that he had agreed to help promote the Sydney 2000 Olympics, said he found it difficult to see why professional basketballers were allowed to compete at the Games while golfers were excluded.
"I've always been very confused as to why it's not in there, espcially when I see the NBA sending the Dream Team to the Olympics," Norman told a Sydney news conference on Friday.
"I think golf is little more popular on a global basis than basketball. It's definitely been around a lot longer than basketball."
Golf was included at the 1900 and 1904 Olympics but was dropped from the programme when only one competitor turned up at the 1908 London Games. Basketball was introduced to the Olympics at the 1936 Berlin Games.
Spain's Seve Ballesteros has lobbied Juan Antonio Samaranch in recent years to reintroduce golf to the Olympics. The IOC president has said that golf could return to the Games but not before the 2008 Summer Games.
"I understand why it isn't there... there's the cost factor and the fact that you can't include every sport imaginable," Norman said.
"But hopefully one day, if we keep chipping away and applying the slow water torture, maybe it will happen."
Norman, who is recognised as one of Australia's most successful and best-known sportsmen, announced on Friday that he would stage two pro-am golf tournaments to help raise money for the Australian Olympic team.
He also said he would provide his trademark Great White Shark hats for the 40,000 volunteers at the Sydney Olympics as well as using his business contacts to attract new Olympic sponsors.
Norman's involvement in promoting the Sydney Olympics is a major boost to organisers who need to raise a further A$200 million to meet their A$873.7 million marketing/sponsorship revenue target.
"It's critical for us to have the world want to come here," Sydney Olympics marketing director John Moore said. "With tickets on sale all around the world and all of those corporate opportunities that we hope Greg will help us with - it's fantastic."
Reuters
