Rio 2016 Olympics

a reply to: Cobaltic1978

I stay away from Football, Tennis and Rugby. I love these sports, but they do not belong in the Olympics, neither does Golf.

I sort of feel the same way.

Football was in the Olympics long before there was a World Cup and (usually) means decent attendances. So the Under-23 + 3 overage professionals (in men's football) has been brought in as a compromise to keep it in the tournament. That way the host nation makes a decent return as well (normally). Not a good compromise in my opinion but the Woman's game is improving rapidly and is seen as an important prize. Too bad that Team GB qualified (via England's 3rd place in last year's World Cup) but then had to back down because the other home nations fear that (corrupt) FIFA will suddenly wave a magic wand and force the associations of our four home nations into one.

Tennis and golf have also saturated the TV market and I'd rather squash was put into the Olympics than either of those sports.

Got to say that I would have agreed on Rugby. But Rugby Sevens is a whole different, exciting and thrilling game I'd never noticed before. Our boys did well to get a silver and the Japanese were very unlucky to not get a bronze. Fiji however were awesome!!! Even though we got walloped in the final I really, really enjoyed this short form of the game and believe it should stay.

But the beauty of the Olympics is watching all these sports you normally wouldn't bother to glance at and the heroes it produces for various nations besides our own. Many of these guys come through after years of dedication for one brief moment in the spotlight.

I think it also gives us all a chance to actually feel British as a sporting nation every four years. In most other sporting tournaments we tend to compete as four separated nations.

GB are third in the medal table at this very moment behind the US & China. Not bad hey?

originally posted by: Subaeruginosa


Hopefully its a Aussies vs US gold metal match in the Basketball, then I guess we'll see what happens...

I would love to see that.

Newest update!
After some crushing runs and some fall back from Austria, Japan, France and a very needed fall by Great Britain, my cousin and her partner are now in second place going into the final three races before the medal race