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Clean Sport

I don't know what to make of the pending Russia ban.

To me it doesn't make a lot of sense as it hurts even the clean athletes.

The assertion that they are all dirty is plainly wrong, and in my opinion this ban eventuates simply because authorities have been too lenient on individual sports-people, and also far too lenient on systematic drug cheats like CheatsFC.

If they get serious with bans and challenges when athletes are caught, and kibosh some of the dinky penalties and reversals we see occurring when a high profile gets whacked, like the Chinese swimmer and some of the tennis players. Then things will clean themselves up naturally, it's the appearance of disparity that makes situations like this Russia farce occur.

People are getting life bans off the whiff of a hint of a fume, mostly because they aren't lawyered up, while others with financial resources are being cleared after growing an extra head or leg!

As an aside, I think one thing the IOC could do is provide a stipend for athletes wishing to compete under the no-country flag. Let them prove themselves clean and then offer compensation similar to the Russian winners bonus, so that they at least have some hope of financial recompense for efforts.

In any case, I've become a bit bored with the whole this country versus that country rubbish, all that does is lead to a Trump or Putin. The Olympics should be about the best of the best head to head, not about this politicised country versus that country rubbish!
"Extremists on either side will always meet in the Middle!"

Re: Clean Sport

Reply #1 –
I'd ban all countries from the Olympics.
It's been a bit of a nationalistic wank-fest since Berlin 1936
...and pretty much against what the founders of the modern Olympics were trying to create.

Once selected by your national association leave your flags, uniforms, anthems....and corporate sponsorship, at the door.

Re: Clean Sport

Reply #2 –
Bit unrealistic I gotta say.

However, the cronyism, coverage rights and kickbacks worry me a lot.  I was HEAVILY involved in the SOCOG torch relay and it was staggering in its complexity.

There have been some very ordinary games over the years and some great moments as well.  Yet the cost is enormous. 

I sure hope BNE doesn't get them

Re: Clean Sport

Reply #3 –
Quote from: capcom – on
Bit unrealistic I gotta say.

However, the cronyism, coverage rights and kickbacks worry me a lot.  I was HEAVILY involved in the SOCOG torch relay and it was staggering in its complexity.

There have been some very ordinary games over the years and some great moments as well.  Yet the cost is enormous. 

I sure hope BNE doesn't get them

Oh I know it won't happen.
It's just what I'd do.
Over the years it's turned into an abomination.
There will always be great individual performances but alongside that  are boycotts, massacres and other incidents directly linked to national conflicts (Hungary v USSR in the water polo in Melbourne).
State controlled doping has long been a part of the competition but equally there are many examples of individual doping offences that put huge question marks over the results of many events.
The State controlled doping has at its roots an effort to produce results that reflect on a country or its system of government as being superior to other nations.
I've a fifty year involvement in Track and Field.
Have a look at the women's world record list and take note of the number of world records set in the 1980s.
That some of these records still stand and are recognised is a disgrace and the young 'clean' women who have gone close in subsequent years should feel very angry that they've been robbed of world marks they should rightly possess.

As the OP rightly points out though, it is difficult to know just who in the past has competed 'clean'
I suspect in some Olympic 100 metre men's finals you may have to go well down the list of finalists to find the 'real winner'.

Re: Clean Sport

Reply #4 –
The games has become too big.  They should wind it back to its original format and go forward from there.

Too many events, too much representation from each country.

It's silly.

"everything you know is wrong"

Paul Hewson

Re: Clean Sport

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Thryleon – on
The games has become too big.  They should wind it back to its original format and go forward from there.

Too many events, too much representation from each country.

It's silly.

Do you mean naked blokes slathered in olive oil Thry?  That might attract a different audience  ;)

It’s an interesting topic and I think that you’re right about the Games becoming too big.  I also think that Lods suggestion about athletes competing as individuals rather than national representatives has merit - but what about relays?

That got me thinking about picking up teams at school and I started to imagine “captains” picking their teams from all of the qualified athletes, regardless of nationality.  Of course it’s not going to happen but I reckon it would solve a lot of issues.

As a quick fix, I would drop all of the “sports” that rely on judges to determine the result; gymnastics, diving, synchronised swimming, etc.  However, that would mean the exclusion of boxing and I couldn’t have that ... and fighting until there’s a KO or TKO wouldn’t be acceptable.  I guess the fighter who lands the most punches wins ????
"Negative waves are not helpful. Try saying something righteous and hopeful instead." Oddball

Re: Clean Sport

Reply #6 –
The introduction of Tiddlywinks to the games was the beginning of the end!  ;D
Reality always wins in the end.

Re: Clean Sport

Reply #7 –
Darts would be a great addition to the Olympics; “And the gold medal goes to the bloke with the beergut, bad haircut and equally bad attitude!”  :)
"Negative waves are not helpful. Try saying something righteous and hopeful instead." Oddball

Re: Clean Sport

Reply #8 –
This concept of clean sport is interesting if considered in a wider scope;

For example, there seems to be some indication that a "harder life edge" of certain AFL types, prime examples Dusty or Marlion Pickett, leave them with a distinct advantage over some more "socially mainstream" AFL types!

What does that mean in the context of clean sport?

If you throat fend-off Dusty, will his "friends" come-a-knocking, and even if they don't do the likes of Dusty and Marlion benefit from that perception?
"Extremists on either side will always meet in the Middle!"

Re: Clean Sport

Reply #9 –
Quote from: DJC – on
Darts would be a great addition to the Olympics; “And the gold medal goes to the bloke with the beergut, bad haircut and equally bad attitude!”  :)

And then we could consider Super Darts where contestants first compete to see who could drink 25 pints of ale and eat 15 meat pies in the shortest time before proceeding to the dart board?  :))
Come to think of it, in my youth I knew people who would have been a shoo-in to win gold in such an event........ ::)
Reality always wins in the end.

Re: Clean Sport

Reply #10 –
Quote from: cookie2 – on
And then we could consider Super Darts where contestants first compete to see who could drink 25 pints of ale and eat 15 meat pies in the shortest time before proceeding to the dart board?  :))
Come to think of it, in my youth I knew people who would have been a shoo-in to win gold in such an event........ ::)

Aren’t they the rules for ordinary darts? ????
"Negative waves are not helpful. Try saying something righteous and hopeful instead." Oddball

Re: Clean Sport

Reply #11 –
Quote from: DJC – on
Darts would be a great addition to the Olympics; “And the gold medal goes to the bloke with the beergut, bad haircut and equally bad attitude!”  :)

Aah ! You are obviously a keen dart player DJC.  ;) ;)
I spent most of my money on Women and grog.
The rest I just wasted.

Re: Clean Sport

Reply #13 –
25 pints, that's just lunch most days! ;D

Pies aren't so popular, a chip butty is the preferred fair of the darts player. Although the pros are very fitness conscious, so they cut the carbs(no bread) and stick with chips and a dart(smoke)!
"Extremists on either side will always meet in the Middle!"

Re: Clean Sport

Reply #14 –
Darts is a pure sport.
Athlete vs dartboard.
No judges needed.
You score what you hit.
A worthy addition to the Olympic program.

I'd like to see 'bottletops' added to the Olympic program.
When I was at school we had two seasons...marbles and bottletops.
The seasons used to end rather abruptly and you would go in one day from your marble bag to your bag of bottle tops.

Rules are simple.
Opposing players throw their bottletop against the wall.
The one closest to the wall gets first go.
They have to balance their bottletop and their opponents bottletop on the tip of their bent elbow(one cap on top of the other).
In one smooth motion they have to flick the arm and catch the tops.
If successful they get to keep both tops.
If not it becomes the opponents turn.

There is a professional version of the game where coins are used instead of bottlecaps.

In either version a big bag was very prestigious. ;D