Quote:
Originally Posted by Mister Yamoto
But back to the Olympics. I can remember even in the Calgary games where athletes would have to make a decision. Should I go pro? Should I wait until the next Olympics? That decision does not exist anymore. I miss those days.
|
Why on earth? It was ridiculously hypocritical and impractical system, a relic of history that barely ever existed, and a common tool harassing and banning top athletes from countries with less political pull.
It was also a way for certain sports assocations and countries to keep their athletes in line, as they couldn't openly make a living with their talents, and thus were 100% dependant on the sports associations (who effectively payed the salaries of these "amateurs"). The associations could then take the sponsor money using the names and faces of those athletes, without giving them anything more than the bare minimum they needed to make a living and practice.
It was about as far removed from "the purity" of sport as anything, really just a breeding ground for corruption and abuse.