Olympic event removal

VmanF3

Windsurfing has been dropped for 2016......

roryboy

wait 'til you see what we're havin up here in the Glasgow commonwealth games, Synchronised headbuttin,
firing the javelin at the wee official guy with the blazer, and the 400 meter with a dvd player on your back.
Aye ban them aw... but be it on yer ain heid.

mouth

dw300 wrote:

Any skill only sports. Any sports that you can't set a world record. Any tactical sport that doesn't have an athletic aspect (if there are any left after the omissions).

Basically if it doesn't involve power and/or endurance as it's primary factor GTFO.

Also .. if technology plays a part, like in cycling, all competitors must be given the same technology.

I'd like to see sports like powerlifting in there, even assisted lifts (shirts and suits) as long as everyone had the same gear (no, not that type of gear).

Maybe some sort of ultra-endurance events like a cycling Grand Tour or a 5 day foot race.

Basically I want to see events where it the human body's limit that are being pushed.

So you're prepared to sack off the road race and TT then? I do kind of agree with the controlled equipment though. Also, that'd invariably make the sports 'amateur' again. Couldn't see the likes of Murray and Federer giving up their sponsorship or indeed being allowed by their sponsors to compete using something akin to what we had in PE at school. The problem is though where do you draw the line on technology? If what manufacturers say is true, all the equipment down to pants and socks has an effect on performance and would therefore have to be a controlled item.

dw300

Mouth wrote:

dw300 wrote:

Any skill only sports. Any sports that you can't set a world record. Any tactical sport that doesn't have an athletic aspect (if there are any left after the omissions).

Basically if it doesn't involve power and/or endurance as it's primary factor GTFO.

Also .. if technology plays a part, like in cycling, all competitors must be given the same technology.

I'd like to see sports like powerlifting in there, even assisted lifts (shirts and suits) as long as everyone had the same gear (no, not that type of gear).

Maybe some sort of ultra-endurance events like a cycling Grand Tour or a 5 day foot race.

Basically I want to see events where it the human body's limit that are being pushed.

So you're prepared to sack off the road race and TT then? I do kind of agree with the controlled equipment though. Also, that'd invariably make the sports 'amateur' again. Couldn't see the likes of Murray and Federer giving up their sponsorship or indeed being allowed by their sponsors to compete using something akin to what we had in PE at school. The problem is though where do you draw the line on technology? If what manufacturers say is true, all the equipment down to pants and socks has an effect on performance and would therefore have to be a controlled item.

Well if you had a Grand Tour, or even 2 week Tour of the host country, that would be a road race and include TT(s).

I'm not worried about Murray and Federer as Tennis has already been booted out anyway. Tennis worked well in London because it was at the best tennis venue in the world. It'd work well in New York, Paris etc .. but if it goes to Helsinki or the like again, there isn't the established 'Major' tennis venue, and I doubt they'd build a full blown venus like that.

You're right about product manufacturers and sponsorship. But i'd suggest that they sell equipment at a sensible price, not necessarily at a profit, but are given much better ability to show the world that they are the manufacturer of choice. That would hopefully yield an overall net through massive brand awareness. You could hardly tell Mavic were the track wheel provider this year.

They do it in swimming don't they? There's like a ceiling for what equipment can be used at the moment i think. It's definitely possible to make faster swimsuits. I'm pretty sure it could be organised for most sports given 8 years. Manufacturers would just tender for the contracts. IOC would just have to draw up specs.

And of course .. run a drug assisted games in parallel!

andy46

Get rid of table tennis!

WheelieBad

They do have the "super" suits banned in swimming, but I suppose cycling has a minimum weight of bikes so will probably argue that that's their equivalent.

I just wonder how long it will be until F1 or karting is included..

rick_chasey

Wirral_Paul wrote:

Synchronised swimming (as well as dressage!!). Seriously - how can synchronised swimming be classed as a sport!!

Ever tried it?

It's as tough as gymnastics.

solosuperia

I am on tenterhooks as to what new rules the UCI will bring in to stop Team GB taking so many gold medals. They brought in the Omnium in an attempt to make it more difficult for us......

If they take out any event that the Brits look like they may have a competitor in the final..............
There will be none left!

nickellis

Capt Slog wrote:

They were advertising the para-olympics yesterday on BBC. There's a bit where a horse trotted past, I was surprised to see that it had all it's legs.

Fooking hilarious. I'm wetting myself at that.

nickellis

roryboy wrote:

wait 'til you see what we're havin up here in the Glasgow commonwealth games, Synchronised headbuttin,
firing the javelin at the wee official guy with the blazer, and the 400 meter with a dvd player on your back.
Aye ban them aw... but be it on yer ain heid.

Crying with laughter this time. Synchronised head butting

greasedscotsman

WheelieBad wrote:

I just wonder how long it will be until F1 or karting is included..

They had "water motorsports" in the 1908 games!

rolf_f

I watched the dressage final yesterday. Looked incomprehensible and slightly silly to me but then that's what a lot of people think about track cycling events.

My main worry on that one is that if you can still compete in your 70s there must surely be something wrong! I do think Olympic sports should involve some degree of adaptation of the human body to be the perfect tool for the task and if you can still do it at 70, then clearly it is a bit of an old and wrinkly tool!

GiantMike

Fencing. Loads of fat blokes called Dave who will do you a 'deal for cash'. And it's always wonky.

MattC59

Well I think this needs knocking on the head before it gains any momentum !!!

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/olympics--darts-champion-pushing-for-sports--inclusion-in-2020-olympics.html

Darts............. FFS !!!! :roll:

GiantMike

MattC59 wrote:

Well I think this needs knocking on the head before it gains any momentum !!!

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/olympics--darts-champion-pushing-for-sports--inclusion-in-2020-olympics.html

Darts............. FFS !!!! :roll:

There's Golf in the 2016 Olympics! Yes, GOLF!

lawrences

The multiple versions/distances/relays of swimming should be axed.

Or some boxing weight categories to bring it in line with rowing that has heavyweight and lightweight.

Zingzang

I'm all in favour of darts being included, as long as chess, backgammon, scrabble and tiddly winks get in as well. Incidentally, if you have competed in the Olympics are you automatically an Olympic athlete whatever the discipline? Is someone who has done sailing just as much an athlete as a marathon runner?

Wirral_paul

Rick Chasey wrote:

Wirral_Paul wrote:

Synchronised swimming (as well as dressage!!). Seriously - how can synchronised swimming be classed as a sport!!

Ever tried it?

It's as tough as gymnastics.

Well i wouldnt have had you down as a synchronised swimmer Rick - but i'll have to admit i've not felt the urge to try it and trust your obvious expertise in the event

dw300

MattC59 wrote:

Well I think this needs knocking on the head before it gains any momentum !!!

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/olympics--darts-champion-pushing-for-sports--inclusion-in-2020-olympics.html

Darts............. FFS !!!! :roll:

I was thinking I'd love to see Phil Taylor take up archery .. with his practice ethic I don't see why he couldn't be good. However, then I thought about how when you compare darts and archery, how much more of a skill darts is! No aiming and balance aids, no luck from changing wind, heckling and deafening noise from the crowd, faster pace and longer matches. Am I wrong?

Of course I dont think either should be in it, neither should golf, even though as far as skill sports go it's definitely one of the harest to get to the very top.

mfin

MattC59 wrote:

Well I think this needs knocking on the head before it gains any momentum !!!

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/olympics--darts-champion-pushing-for-sports--inclusion-in-2020-olympics.html

Darts............. FFS !!!! :roll:

Hooray, about time, get it in there and build a dedicated flashy venue for it.

RichN95.

They should get rid of:

Anything that looks rubbish on TV. So shooting at targets that don't explode is first for the chop.

Fencing seems a bit odd - and why do they need three different swords. Pick one sword and fight in different ways - like Errol Flynn used to - in a castle, on a ship etc.

Swimming - just pick a stroke. Breaststroke is for ladies who don't want to get their hair wet.

Golf - it's not in yet, but we already need to get rid of it.

Walking - who cares who can walk the fastest? It's like having a cycling race were no-one pumps up the tyres.

Sports to add:

Triathlon relay - competitors from swimming, cycling and running unite

Dancing Dogs - they have dancing horses, so why not the hounds? Image the winner of Britain's Got Talent up against the pooch from The Artist.

'The Plunge' - it's a swimming event we had at school. Basically you dive into a pool and get as far as you can without breathing or moving.

Better suggestions: Lacrosse, Squash and 20/20 cricket

dw300

RichN95 wrote:

Triathlon relay - competitors from swimming, cycling and running unite

This would be cool! Farah, Wiggo and .. uhhh .. .. I don't know any of our swimmers. Does Duncan Goodhew still swim .. he hasn't aged in the last 20 years, I wasn't sure if they'd had him on ice somewhere.

squired

The most pointless Olympic event I've seen so far in 2012 has to be the trampoline. It appears to just be a way for gymnasts who either weren't good enough for real gymnastics or who are too old for it. Following on from that I'd also ban Rhythmic Gymnastics, in part because it is just rubbish, but also because it is a female only event. In the interests of equality we've seen other sports like cycling brought in line, yet we have female only sports. Unless there is a bunch of guys doing synchronised swimming I expect that fits into the same category too.

BMX also isn't worthy of being an Olympic event. Surely it is just a bunch of teenagers with a bag full of newspapers to deliver?

There also needs to be a rebalancing. It is ridiculous when we hear about the "Greatest Olympian ever", when he competes in a sport (swimming) where you can go for 10 Gold medals in one Olympics.

mfin

squired wrote:

Unless there is a bunch of guys doing synchronised swimming...

The final of that is on today on BBC3 at 15:30 and Graham Norton is the BBC's pundit for it.

Pross

RichN95 wrote:

They should get rid of:

Anything that looks rubbish on TV. So shooting at targets that don't explode is first for the chop.

Fencing seems a bit odd - and why do they need three different swords. Pick one sword and fight in different ways - like Errol Flynn used to - in a castle, on a ship etc.

Swimming - just pick a stroke. Breaststroke is for ladies who don't want to get their hair wet.

Golf - it's not in yet, but we already need to get rid of it.

Walking - who cares who can walk the fastest? It's like having a cycling race were no-one pumps up the tyres.

Sports to add:

Triathlon relay - competitors from swimming, cycling and running unite

Dancing Dogs - they have dancing horses, so why not the hounds? Image the winner of Britain's Got Talent up against the pooch from The Artist.

'The Plunge' - it's a swimming event we had at school. Basically you dive into a pool and get as far as you can without breathing or moving.

Better suggestions: Lacrosse, Squash and 20/20 cricket

Fencing should be with broadswords and no fixed arena so it ends up more like the fight in Die Another Day.

Also, are you bugging my office as I was suggesting a triathlon relay the other day. Problem for Team GB would be that even Wiggo and Farah wouldn't make up the time our swimmers would lose. I would stick Keri-Anne Payne in the swim leg, she can't do worse than the male swimmers and we'd get to see more of her which has to be a good thing.

How about a combined athletic throwing event / running race? The athlete throws the shot / javelin etc. and is then timed running to retrieve it and bring it back to the throwing line. You would have some formula to deduct the throwing distance from the run time so the bigger throwers get more time knocked off but are likely to do the retrieve in a slower time.

MichaelW

Lets face it, what we really want to see is Blood and Sand gladiatorial combat, with explosions and bitey animals. Horses would be OK, only if they mount them at a run then catch a sword thrown to them.
Failing that, how about speed golf.

WheelieBad

Pross wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

They should get rid of:

Anything that looks rubbish on TV. So shooting at targets that don't explode is first for the chop.

Fencing seems a bit odd - and why do they need three different swords. Pick one sword and fight in different ways - like Errol Flynn used to - in a castle, on a ship etc.

Swimming - just pick a stroke. Breaststroke is for ladies who don't want to get their hair wet.

Golf - it's not in yet, but we already need to get rid of it.

Walking - who cares who can walk the fastest? It's like having a cycling race were no-one pumps up the tyres.

Sports to add:

Triathlon relay - competitors from swimming, cycling and running unite

Dancing Dogs - they have dancing horses, so why not the hounds? Image the winner of Britain's Got Talent up against the pooch from The Artist.

'The Plunge' - it's a swimming event we had at school. Basically you dive into a pool and get as far as you can without breathing or moving.

Better suggestions: Lacrosse, Squash and 20/20 cricket

Fencing should be with broadswords and no fixed arena so it ends up more like the fight in Die Another Day.

Also, are you bugging my office as I was suggesting a triathlon relay the other day. Problem for Team GB would be that even Wiggo and Farah wouldn't make up the time our swimmers would lose. I would stick Keri-Anne Payne in the swim leg, she can't do worse than the male swimmers and we'd get to see more of her which has to be a good thing.

How about a combined athletic throwing event / running race? The athlete throws the shot / javelin etc. and is then timed running to retrieve it and bring it back to the throwing line. You would have some formula to deduct the throwing distance from the run time so the bigger throwers get more time knocked off but are likely to do the retrieve in a slower time.

David Davies swam under a minute slower than world record pace, although he is retiring. 10k runners are Mo Farah, Rupp and Ethiopians and Kenyans. I can't think of any Ethiopians or Kenyans (apart from Froome :roll: ) that can cycle anywhere near Wiggins..and they can't swim either Mind you, the Americans would have Jaeger, Phinney and Rupp...

MattC59

My Mrs is watching dancing horses at the moment. F*ck it off, that's what I say !!!

Yes, I agree, it takes an awful lot of skill to train and ride the horses like that, but it's not an Olympic event. The woman on tv at the moment is currently walking her horse, yes, walking, around the ouside of the arena, and it's part of her routine !! She's wearing a double breasted jacket and top hat FFS !!!!

The event currently on tv is called "Individual Freestyle to Music". They actually get scored down if the horses aren't in time to the music. No !!! Just No !!! Why not have ballroom dancing ? Dancing horses, dancing people, from a sports perspective it's no different. It's not an Olympic sport ! I repeat, it's horse dancing, not sport.

Neither's golf !

(I do like the idea of speed golf though, with one random ball per round made of semtex !)

Rant over

Edit: Rant on again, Mrs C has put this sh*te on tv and promptly gome to sleep on the sofa !

GiantMike

Quite enjoying the horse dancing. Naked women doing dressage would be better though. Especially if they were Hockey players riding.

WheelieBad

If these horse events are allowed in, then why not sheep dog trials too!