Olympics 2024
Comments
-
Overall was it a good Olympic games?
Answer, Yes.
0 -
I just hope that whoever does the pool for the diving doesn't read those specs, or someone is gong to get a sore head
0 -
They don't. They just get left to drown. The US collegiate system produces more swimmers than the world needs, so there's no need to worry about running out if a few don't make it.
1 -
So does athletics. London is effectively subsiding a premier league football team, for example.
0 -
The World.Cups in Qatar and Russia will be remembered for the corruption that lead to them, Qatar for the gargantuan amount of capital spending and migrants worker deaths required, the Sochi Olympics and the Beijing Olympics as being sports washing exercises, Brazil World Cup and Rio Olympics for creating white elephants and for corruption... Actually there's nothing stand out about any of them is there....
0 -
I spend quite a bit of time in Stratford as my daughter’s Uni is based at Here East. I’d say the 2012 Games were the catalyst for a highly successful regeneration that also allowed us to host an Olympics. I’m not a city person but I really like it around there. The redevelopment would probably have happened eventually but probably wouldn’t have been as extensive or benefitted from such high quality infrastructure.
0 -
That's the argument, how a beleaguered city starved of investment can attract the government funding to regenerate itself?
West Ham are still basically benefiting from council house rent for a palace. Which for the richest league in the world's richest sport doesn't sit right with me.
0 -
No it won't, it will be seen as the Messi World Cup year.
0 -
This supports my argument that they should get some random guy out of the audience to do the event first, just to show how difficult it is. Like showing something for scale.
0 -
Isn't it quite boomerish to assume that breaking and skateboarding will appeal to the yoof? Given that both of these sports went mainstream in the 80s and 90s, it's actually millennials and Gen Xers (i.e., basically middle aged people...) who will be interested.
To get Gen Z involved you probably need fortnite or whatever skibidi toilet is to be in the Olympics (this is when I realised I am now officially old at 36, I haven't got a clue what that is). Maybe something rizz related.
0 -
Yeah, it feels like old people trying to show they are in touch with what kids like. Having a committee of middle-aged to elderly people determining what will attract a young audience is never a good idea. We'd have to have competitive gaming or influencing to attract the Gen Z lot.
0 -
I actually agree with this, one of my mates from school had a flat in the former Olympic village (I can't remember who he said was in that flat during the Olympics, it was someone from an African nation's field team, maybe javelin). There's a lot of young professionals out there now. It looks a decent place to live.
0 -
Great news, breaking has been axed from the 2028 Olympics already.
0 -
It was never in. They started their campaign to be included in Brisbane last year after the list for LA was announced.
1 -
This is a Guardian opinion piece, so comes with a big warning; however, I find myself agreeing with some of the conclusions. In particular, sailing, horse stuff, surfing, 3x3 basketball and football.
0 -
The problem with all these 'street' sports they've started including is that for many of those who do them every day the attraction is that there are no rules set by governing bodies, they can just hang out with some mates and express themselves. In many cases they probably don't think of it as a sport. However, as soon as it becomes an Olympic event there has to be some kind of basis on which they can be assessed which then comes with a load of rules plus things like doping control etc. As a result some of those who are the best and most innovative won't be interested.
0 -
But they have added flag football and lacrosse, which are essentially US high school sports.
0 -
Apparently the Aussie breaker is actually the Oceania champion and has represented them at the last three World Champs (breaking is obviously not big in Australia). Best comment I saw was that she would have looked better if her team kit didn't make her look like a park ranger.
0 -
Obviously I disagree about rowing, but perhaps they are right.
The main thesis is that it has to be held in a city to be an Olympics. I think that's an outdated and flawed concept. Doesn't matter for the winter Olympics so much does it?
Should there be a separate water, winter and land Olympics? Or should the events be distributed over a summer and throughout a country or region?
Hard to say, but the Olympics are in danger of decline if it becomes possibly only for a rich or corrupt few cities to host them.
0 -
It would be interesting if the hosted sports could be part of the actual bids to host. That would allow the games to fit in more naturally with the hosts. So France can easily host Rugby sevens, but would struggle with cricket.
0 -
There are core sports and optional sports - breakdancing, surfing, skateboarding and climbing were the ones Paris proposed.
Skateboarding, climbing and surfing are core sports for 2028 - meant to replace boxing, modern pentathlon and weightlifting, but two of those are in anyway - modern pentathlon with a ninja warrior element included which makes it a completely different sport - and boxing will definitely be back too (surely?)
LA chose baseball, cricket, lacrosse, flag football and squash. Most of those won't be back after 2028, will they? Can't see Brisbane choosing lacrosse or American football. They should go Rugby League.
I agree that sailing, surfing, golf, 3x3 and the horses wouldn't be massively missed.
0 -
Sounds like my idea can be safely ignored!
0 -
Yep, I generally agree although there's a couple of points I would disagree with (I appreciate it is being deliberately slightly provocative). With regards to sailing, I know nothing about the sport but the second paragraph is a bit of an issue plus aside from the new kite discipline and wind surfing most of the events look positively pedestrian. However, the stereotype of it being a sport for the wealthy elite isn't true. My younger daughter isn't really into organised sport but has been on a couple of Ellen MacArthur trips post-cancer and enjoyed the sailing so we looked into the club at our local reservoir. The junior membership is £45 per year, adult is £90 and family (2 adults and 2 people under 25 from one household) is £105 which includes free use of club boats which feels pretty cheap to me. Obviously anyone getting serious will want their own boat eventually which will increase costs but it is more accessible than people think. If ditching a volleyball event it should probably be the shortened, more gimicky beach version rather than the full team event that has been in far longer even though I've rarely seen it.
With swimming I would keep the strokes but reduce the distances and the only relay I would have would be a medley (I would do away with the IMs), I agree that any sport where someone can win 4 or 5 individual golds in one Games has too many events.
Football definitely needs to go and I would also ditch rugby 7s. I would probably keep golf, there's usually a decent course somewhere near major cities. I would change the format though, have it as a four ball match play for men and women plus maybe a mixed foursome. Surfing is pretty impractical for a lot of potential hosts. Boxing has to go, too much controversy and the judging is perplexing even to experienced pundits. I enjoy some of the horsey stuff but it does create big logistical issues.
Unfortunately a lot of the sports you can make a strong case for ditching are where Team GB win the majority of their medals. It's almost as though we rely on sports that need expensive equipment and that, as a result, few countries are able to compete effectively.
0 -
I think splitting the Games, either over a wider area or into various disciplines, would kill it off. There'll be a few events that can't take place in a host city but the key to it and why the athletes are so keen to take part is that they all get to mix in the athletes village and feel part of something bigger. For all the talk of it being so expensive there never seems to be a shortage of cities wanting to host and recent Games have shown how cities are trying to inovate to either reduce the expense / white elephant venues and / or regenerate areas of a city.
0 -
-
Incorrect. There were originally 5 bids for the 2024 and 2028 Olympics. Three dropped out early, so the two games defaulted to the only two remaining bidders.
There were quite a few feasibility studies, several across regions or multiple cities, but the IOC only found one viable. Several cities said they would bid, but didn't. The only other formal bid I can find is Jakarta.
So, four candidates for three games.
City mayors and national governments often make noise about Olympic and World Cup bids without it amounting to more than some meetings and a way to gauge public opinion. I would predict a series of games in places like Doha, St Petersburg, Shanghai or Riyadh.
0 -
I would agree with a lot of the sports that could potentially be removed. I would personally keep boxing, it is the pinnacle for amateurs (many of whom do not ever turn professional), and participation across a broad range of countries is quite high compared to other sports.
I would agree with Pross that the scoring is a major issue. They changed from the old points scoring system due to corruption and bribery, but the scoring system was never the issue, it was the fact judges were corrupt. The new system of 10-9 scoring is based on professional boxing and has seemed to favour boxers who show more aggression, but aren't necessarily landing scoring punches. The old system of points per single clean shot is much better and encourages a different style of boxing. Co-incidentally, I think this is why GB and USA have done so poorly, a lot of the boxers still box in the old amateur style, throwing jabs and 2 punch scoring combinations and not doing much else.
0 -
Because if a two week bit of fun leaves the host city/country with a legacy of massive debt, places won't bid for it.
Maybe the Olympics need to put more of their hard earned sponsor/rights money into the games.
0 -
Yeah probably. And other countries should cough up more. For the whole world to attend every 4 years with only the rich countries attending the winter games it’s not all that expensive.
Should run it like Eurovision but it’s not expensive in the grand scheme of things
0 -
I'd also ditch Taekwando as it is ridiculously boring with people being keen to avoid getting a tap by someone's little toe in they go on the offensive.
0
