No Olympics thread yet?

Why is it that professional boxers are not allowed compete in the Olympic Games but professional tennis players are?

I realise the whole 'amateur' thing has long gone but why this difference, I wonder?
 
_xxx_ said:
Is anyone seriously interested in that at all? Hard to imagine for me.
Click to expand...
I think the Chinese are the most enthusiastic about it, as a host country for first time of such international event. Other than that, it's just another summer Olympiad mix bag. If there was a World (or European) football championship at the same time around, that would totally overshadow it, I guess. ;)

As for me, I won't care to follow any live broadcast, except to casually track over the success of contestants from my country, in the mass media.
 
Mariner said:
Why is it that professional boxers are not allowed compete in the Olympic Games but professional tennis players are?

I realise the whole 'amateur' thing has long gone but why this difference, I wonder?
Click to expand...

Because "professional boxing" is hardly that. It is a spectacle setup by promoters to make a quick million (or 50).

Also, gambling has pretty much destroyed any shred of legitimacy this "sport" ever hoped to have (in the U.S., at least).

fellix said:
I think the Chinese are the most enthusiastic about it, as a host country for first time of such international event. Other than that, it's just another summer Olympiad mix bag. If there was a World (or European) football championship at the same time around, that would totally overshadow it, I guess. ;)

As for me, I won't care to follow any live broadcast, except to casually track over the success of contestants from my country, in the mass media.
Click to expand...

Exactly! The last time I cared about the Olympics and watched live coverage as more than a curiosity was when it was in Atlanta. Cheering for the "home team" always feels good.
 
My problem with the Olympics is the general disparity between pro/semi-pro/irrelevant sports. Tennis, football, hell why not Formula One and golf too just for added silliness?

Also if you want to willy-wave about the medal table then there's the disparity between disciplines (which Michael Phelps encapsulates to a tee).
 
Mariner said:
Why is it that professional boxers are not allowed compete in the Olympic Games but professional tennis players are?

I realise the whole 'amateur' thing has long gone but why this difference, I wonder?
Click to expand...

The styles are quite diff. Olympic boxing is all about head hunting. Body shots don't count. Ring generalship doesn't either or control. Just get a few hits on the head to score points and run around. Also, many do the Olympics and turn pro after since the Olympics style is close to the amatuer style than pro.
 
I follow the Olympics also but then again, we're very much in contention for a lot of the medals. For countries with only a few participants I can see the lack of interest. Amongst my circle of friends, we all enjoy the Olympics and cheering for our atheletes.
 
I don't care a bit about olympics anymore due to poor refereeing standards... I am not going to talk about it, simple as that.
 
I've been watching Michael Phelps just absolutely destroy records right and lift. Personally I think some people don't care that much because the sports they really want to watch might not be televised and then the way scoring is handled in certain events is a real pain. For instance the the women's gymnastics the scoring was laughable at times.
 
RudeCurve said:
Phelps + Tetrahydrogestrinone = endless Gold medals and world record breaks.
Click to expand...
Im currently watching robocars, a series on the darpa urban grand challenge. Money basically trumps about everything else. More money, better equipment. Same as in sports, if you have the money you can get the latest drugs to increase your potential.
 
RudeCurve said:
Phelps + Tetrahydrogestrinone = endless Gold medals and world record breaks.
Click to expand...

Is it not detectable? A quick Google search didn't get the impression it was and the only mention of it being undetectable was several years old. Also, highly doubtful he'd be the only one in the field using it if it was the case. Either way, he's absolutely destroying everyone or in the 100m butterfly he just has luck on his side.
 
Well it's obvious that people aren't that much faster swimmers than they were ten years ago. The new swimsuits help only that much. Therefore some chemical enhancement has to be going on. That's why I only watch tehnical sports like ping pong :)
 
All the swimming records going are apparently due to two factors. Firstly is the new super-duper swimming suits and secondly is that the pool is extremely deep by design in comparison to most pools. This reduces turbulence of the pool, hence all the faster times.

Not that I'm really interested, but it seems the swimsuit issue is pretty unfair as some countries aren't contracted to use them which puts them at an immediate disadvantage. Where's the fair competition if you're using different equipment?
 
Mariner said:
Not that I'm really interested, but it seems the swimsuit issue is pretty unfair as some countries aren't contracted to use them which puts them at an immediate disadvantage. Where's the fair competition if you're using different equipment?
Click to expand...

Well Phelps doesn't even use the full suit, so it's not like it is necessary.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Rys
Reopening Architecture and Products + rules and guidelines changes
3 4 5
Replies
90
Views
13K
Shifty Geezer
Shifty Geezer
R
Retro VGS coming: 100% offline retro ARM based console in Atari Jaguar shell
Replies
5
Views
2K
Rangers
R
A
DiRT Showdown: Best Racing MP Modes?
Replies
0
Views
6K
Acert93
A
A
Forza: A Test Case for next gen hardware discussion
2
Replies
32
Views
8K
tuna
T
W
  • Locked
My E3 2011: Skyrim, Rage, ME3, Batman: GC, Torchlight 2, TR, Prey 2, XCOM & more...
Replies
19
Views
6K
tabs
tabs
Back
Top