What is a sport?

Swango1980

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You are right 1980, It doesn't matter and what the IOC wants is all that matters. This was just my opinion and what I would like to happen and how I rate certain sports in the Olympics, I don't mind wall climbing, moguls, rhythmic gymnastics etc.. as most of the competitors train and give it the all to peak every 4 years in the hope of being crowned Olympic Champion. I know it might just be me, but I have no interest in who wins the football, I'm not sure if we even enter, but If GB won the gold would the manager be held in esteem like Sir Alf or Sir Alex
Given there are so many sports, then clearly some will be popular and other not so much. And I'm not sure anyone that will be interested in ALL sports.

But, if I have no interest in the hockey, break dancing or skate boarding, should I suggest they should not be allowed to participate? I probably won't be that interested in the football to be honest, but I'm sure there will be fans at the grounds, fans watching at home and footballers trying hard to win. So, I'd say that is enough for them to be there, even if I don't have much interest in it myself.
 

Slab

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Isn't it the country that wins the medal at the Olympics
The sports ppl are there representing their country

In the case of golf there is no higher achievement a golfer can claim to fulfil, when representing their nation, therfore it is the peak for that criteria and deserves its place in the Olympics
 

sunshine

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I don't really understand why forms of art are increasingly being included in the Olympics. I understand the events are looking for the publicity platform of the Olympics, but why the IOC are diluting the history of the games is baffling.

Ballet requires skill and physical exertion but is not classed as a sport, it doesn't make sense that many other types of dancing are called sports. Ball room, ice dancing, horse dancing, water dancing, gymnastic dancing.
 

YandaB

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I don't really understand why forms of art are increasingly being included in the Olympics. I understand the events are looking for the publicity platform of the Olympics, but why the IOC are diluting the history of the games is baffling.

Ballet requires skill and physical exertion but is not classed as a sport, it doesn't make sense that many other types of dancing are called sports. Ball room, ice dancing, horse dancing, water dancing, gymnastic dancing.
Art was part of the original modern olympics. It was taken out because the artists were deemed professionals. I guess that as that criteria has now been sidelined, it can make a comeback. Competitive sculpting anyone? 😀

 

Arthur Wedge

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Just kill off the Olympics. Have a World Championship every year for each "sport".
What do you think an olympics does for sports - especially the ones under the radar

I’ll give you some examples

When GB won the women’s hockey gold , there was a participation increase from girls of over 150% , it saved some hockey clubs and helped some clubs grow - the legacy was clear

There has been a significant increase in people doing - cycling , even equestrian, athletics

The legacy from 2012 still lives on

Hosting the Olympics in 2012 was huge for the UK , the impact was in many ways immeasurable
 

Rlburnside

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What do you think an olympics does for sports - especially the ones under the radar

I’ll give you some examples

When GB won the women’s hockey gold , there was a participation increase from girls of over 150% , it saved some hockey clubs and helped some clubs grow - the legacy was clear

There has been a significant increase in people doing - cycling , even equestrian, athletics

The legacy from 2012 still lives on

Hosting the Olympics in 2012 was huge for the UK , the impact was in many ways immeasurable
I think your over overestimating the legacy from 2012, the fast decline in swimming pools is shocking in the last 10 years.

This during a time we had Adam Peaty one of our greatest ever swimmers.
 

Arthur Wedge

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I think your over overestimating the legacy from 2012, the fast decline in swimming pools is shocking in the last 10 years.

This during a time we had Adam Peaty one of our greatest ever swimmers.

Yes a lot of the pools that were built 40 years ago need investment or will be lost

But the demands for lessons both in adults and kids increased first after 2012 and then again after Covid

There was a very good report done last year and plans put in place for a regeneration especially in areas of new builds
 

Rlburnside

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Yes a lot of the pools that were built 40 years ago need investment or will be lost

But the demands for lessons both in adults and kids increased first after 2012 and then again after Covid

There was a very good report done last year and plans put in place for a regeneration especially in areas of new builds
That’s amusing reports and regeneration sounds just like a politicians answer, another way of saying nothing will be done.
 

Swango1980

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And look at the cost - a total of £8.77 billion - three times the original budget of £2.4 billion. How many hospitals, schools etc does that buy
Do you think that money just falls into a black hole? Or is there a chance that the money spent initially lead to generating more money later on?

I don't know the full financial to date, but seems like the London Olympics have, at a minimum, managed to break even (by Googling). Olympics in other cities have sometimes resulted in a loss, at other times a profit
 

HomerJSimpson

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Do you think that money just falls into a black hole? Or is there a chance that the money spent initially lead to generating more money later on?

I don't know the full financial to date, but seems like the London Olympics have, at a minimum, managed to break even (by Googling). Olympics in other cities have sometimes resulted in a loss, at other times a profit
 

Hobbit

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And look at the cost - a total of £8.77 billion - three times the original budget of £2.4 billion. How many hospitals, schools etc does that buy

It’s a difficult one to quantify as it’s still generating revenue 12 years later. For example, East Village houses 6,000 families - how much rent and local spending has that generated. 6,000 families averaging £500 a month = £36,000,000 a year. As it’s London prices I wouldn’t be surprised if it was double that. West Ham are paying close on £4m rent this year alone. The initial return was around £174,000,000.

So… £36,000,000 x 10 years = £360,000,000. + £3,000,000 x 10 years = £30,000,000 + the initial return of £174,000,000 = £564,000,000.
 

Swango1980

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Problem is, you google the issue and read the complete opposite opinion in different articles, as people choose to interpret stats in their own way, often to suit the opinion they hold.

Was London 2012 a resounding success financially in every single aspect? No

Was London 2012 a resounding failure financially in every single aspect? No

Was it over budget? Yes. Is it the first thing to ever go over budget? No. In fact, it seems to be an all too frequent occurrence, where initially a low budget is quoted, as the low fee sounds good and likely to win the contract(s). Then, once the work begins and everyone is tied in, suddenly other issues arise that cost more money, with little option to spend it to keep the ball rolling.
 
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