New Olympic Sports Under Consideration

[I-Hate-Hulse]

The International Olympic Committee is looking at adding golf, rugby, squash, karate and in-line skating sports to the pantheon of sports for the 2012 Summer Games.


Linkety-Link (http://www.cbc.ca/story/sports/national/2004/09/22/Sports/olympic_sports040922.html)

Hmmm, given the established nature of golf, rugby, karate I'm generally OK with adding them. Inline skating is perhaps getting a little too niche from the established ice events. Can't say that I'd be too bitter if baseball / softball were axed, don't know how globally accepted those games really are (as with inline skating).

At least Ballroom dancing didn't make the cut.

[Resolute 14]

I cant see how they can justify dropping baseball/softball if they are considering Rubgy. They are basically the same situation. Played in many places, but hugely supported in only a few areas.

[browna]

It may depend where those Olympics are held too...NYC, London, or Paris are in the running I think.

If in Europa, Rugby gets in there for sure. I'm fine with all but the inline skating...and maybe Karate.

Softball is a lot more niche then Rugby IMO, and should be one of the first to go.

[Fuzzy McGillicuddy]

Snowshoe magazine is pushing for snowshoeing to be a demonstration event by 2010 Vancouver.

Snowshoe Rag, er Mag (http://www.snowshoemag.com/view_content.cfm?content_id=49)

Apparantly (according to SM) shoeshoeing is one of the fastest growing winter sports. Right up there with snowboarding.

How about the winter triathalon: Snowshoe, snowboard (ski), cross country ski.

I bet Joe Two Rivers from the old Forest Rangers show would have been a lock in this event ... XNY 556.

[octothorp]

Yes to golf. Yes to rugby. Squash... okay. Big no to inline skating, especially 'artistic' skating. Is roller-hockey and roller-speedskating really a sport on its own merit, or is it merely a warm-weather substitute for the real thing? I'm inclined to think the latter.
No to karate. The judged fighting events are open to too much controversy.
I'd agree with dropping softball, and modern pentathalon. But I think baseball should stay.
Yes to snowshoing! And I like your idea of a winter triathalon, however, I'd say the ultimate winter triathalon would be snowshoing, cross-country skiing, and long-distance speed-skating, so that you've got three really dinstinctive types of interaction with snow/ice.

[moon]

I may be biased based on the fact that I play Rugby but I really believet that it should be in the Olympics. I also agree with golf being included as well.

[calgaryred]

Originally posted by I-Hate-Hulse@Sep 22 2004, 03:21 PM

At least Ballroom dancing didn't make the cut.
that's because it was picke up in the Gay Games

[octothorp]

I was thinking about this last night, and a sport that they should definitely add to the winter olympics is dog-sled racing. Maybe not the best live-spectator sport, but it would be a fantastic television sport. Not something of Iditarod length, but something that would last over several days. It has at least as much Olympic merit as horse-jumping.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally posted by Snakeeye@Sep 22 2004, 04:58 PM
I cant see how they can justify dropping baseball/softball if they are considering Rubgy. They are basically the same situation. Played in many places, but hugely supported in only a few areas.
I have to totally disagree with you on that one.

Rugby is hugely popular in a lot of countries.

The three biggest international tournaments are
All over europe (the six nations)
The souther hemisphere (Tri Nations)

The Pacific and N. and S. America (Epson Cup) which includes

I can easily list 16 countries that could qualify for the olympics, 10 that could make it to the medal round and 6 that could at any time be a favorite to win a medal. Not a whole lot of competition, but there is a relatively strong contingent of teams, and that is just for 15 a side.

If they added 7's, which seems a lot more likely, there are dozens of countries that can field competetive teams, and a whole bunch that could win at any time.

[browna]

Originally posted by fotze@Sep 24 2004, 11:54 AM
Why don't they have the Spring and Fall Games too. They could slip all these new sports somewhere in there.
We'd do well in the Fall Hurdles competition at least.

[troutman]

Pub Olympics?

Darts, Billiards, Foosball, Poker

[Table 5]

Originally posted by Bring_Back_Shantz@Sep 24 2004, 12:45 PM
I can easily list 16 countries that could qualify for the olympics, 10 that could make it to the medal round and 6 that could at any time be a favorite to win a medal. Not a whole lot of competition, but there is a relatively strong contingent of teams, and that is just for 15 a side.

I agree with you, Rugby is hugely popular in many parts of the world. In fact, one might even be able to argue that the variety of countries that would have a fighting chance for medals would be more prevelant than in hockey even.

[CaramonLS]

They are dropping Baseball?

Kinda strange, I guess its more of a North America, Central America + Japan thing, the English would probably compete, but they play "rounders".