Beijing Olympics 2008 Discussion

[prasen9]

Baichung Bhutia takes a stand:

Torch Relay

Kudos!

Sourav should have shown solidarity.  He does not.

Sourav on Baichung

I guess it is his personal decision to borrow a term, but still, a bit disappointing.

[Kothai]

Aamir's view on torch relay from his blog spot

Olympic Torch Relay.

[arjun2761]

Not directly related to the 2008 event, but found the following on another website -- excerpt below.  Apparently Badminton and Judo are out after 2008 while Chess and Croquet (??) are in.  While Chess will be a huge boon for India, perhaps we can start developing our Croquetters...

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will begin deliberations this week on revamping the Olympic sports menu. At a pre-conference media briefing, the IOC's spokesperson for Asia Ms Y Rani Gami said that the IOC had decided to drop two sports - badminton and judo - and would review suggestions from member nations on which sports to newly present on the world's biggest sporting stage.

The spokesperson said that a majority of IOC members had recommended dropping badminton and judo to make the Olympics more attractive. These would now be replaced by two other sports which would be formally chosen from a field of five - croquet, rugby union, polo, rackets and chess. Ms Gami revealed that said croquet and chess had received the highest number of nominations and were almost certain to be picked.

[jayakris]

So, field hockey will survive till at least through 2012? ... Will China be big enough in hockey by then (and interested enough) to keep it in for 2016? .. India will not be returning to Olympics hockey ever again.  Seriously, we will not, barring some serious changes happening in IHF, but I don't see that.

Jay

[mugu]

Check out process of Olympic sports selection here:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics ... gram_x.htm

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/stor ... NHeadlines

Also check this out!
http://judoforum.com/index.php?showtopic=25184

[jayakris]

Ah, I guess we fell for it.  I think Arjun fell for it too.  Had he given the full link to the article, I am sure we would have seen more giveaways.

By the way, "Ms Y Rani Gami" in reverse is "Ms Imaginary" ...

Tsirf Lirpa of course.

Jay

[arjun2761]

Yup, I fell for that one hook, line, and sinker.

I saw it on badmintoncentral.com forum -- a forum of very serious (mostly Asian) badminton fans but as they say appearances (online) can be deceptive...

[prasen9]

Why do they have to have all these procedures for dropping and adding sports?  Why not choose the 30 most popular sports with at least 10 nations voting "yes" for them?

-pm

[mugu]

Nations (National Olympic Committees) have very little or practically no say in the Olympics disciplines, allotment, size of participation, qualification procedures etc etc. Olympics is the property of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It votes on all matters regarding Olympics, including number of disciplines and which of these disciplines for a particular games. At present the IOC has 110 members. They are individual members not representing a country but chosen by the IOC members themselves.
I guess, even if it were the Nations that should decided, 10 nations (NOCs), as Prasen suggested, out of around 200, it will be a very small number to determine the sports disciplines since there is a constant demand to include as many disciplines as possible. Mind you, dancesport (ball-room dancing, I guess), life-saving, moutaineering and climbing, powerboating, surfing, tug of war, underwater sport, bridge and cricket are some of the recognised Olympic sport.

[prasen9]

My first criterion was that it has to be among the 30 most popular sports and then the second criterion was that it has to have the support of at least 10 nations.  If all the sports you mentioned are among the top 30 most popular sports worldwide, then they should be in.  That would also prevent lobbying from the more esoteric sports for inclusion.  The numbers 30 and 10 are arbitrary and it could well be 40 and 15 or even 40 and 25.  My second criterion was to ensure that you have a "real" competition in the Olympics and not have a situation like Kabaddi where only one country keeps winning without any real competition.  If there are 10 teams supporting a  popular sport, I am all for it.

[mugu]

I think Prasen, the intention of the IOC is on the same lines as you suggest. Pick 25 or 26 most popular sports (based on a voting in the IOC, which is by and large, supposed to be, based on a rating of sports disciplines, dependent on its world-wide popularity, television audiences, number of countries etc etc) and make them permanent summer Games sport and allow two or three others to be picked seven years from a Games to be added to make up the number of 28. This number at the moment is the maximum that IOC has allowed; it can change in future.
They (IOC members) don't allow Nations to pick sports disciplines since they feel they are the custodians of Olympics and they have the right to decide what goes in and what goes out.

[jayakris]

If this article does not make your blood boil, I don't know what will.

Torch tyrants run Delhi

Our current government and prime minister are a disgrace.   Letting China run our streets like this and show placards like Die Li Lama on Indian TV, is the ultimate.

Manmohan Singh and Kalmadi should be ashamed of themselves.  I am ashamed of saying that line about so many friggin people who are running India these days.

Jay

[PKBasu]

How disgraceful can we be in our obsequiousness toward China? Yesterday's torch relay in Delhi was a travesty of everything that the Olympics are supposed to stand for. That we effectively allowed our capital to become a colony of China for one day is an astonishing development in Indian history.

Of course, the good thing is that the Tibetans were still able to demonstrate very effectively elsewhere in the city -- and get their protests covered very extensively by the international media. China is demonstrating every day that all their sporting "achievements" are an utter charade and do not qualify them one iota to host the Olympics, as they operate completely against its spirit in practice. Kudos to the spectacular success the Tibetans (and their supporters) have had in getting their voice heard loud and clear around the world.

[suresh]

Oscar Pistorius, the amputee runner from South Africa has been permitted to run in the Olympics. Now he needs to qualify for the Olympics. He can however be picked for the relay team and hence may get to participate in the Beijing Olympics. I am glad some sense prevailed with the Court for Arbitration ruling in his favour.

Amputee runner wins right to try for Olympic spot

[shibi]

While his determination and hardwork are to be appreciated, I feel that the running blades are giving him an advantage. IAAF may have failed to present scientific evidence to the effect, but I don't think this ruling will stay in the long run.