[nilliraq]

So you're all arguing that any sport that seems in some way "unnatural" or "forced" shouldn't be an Olympic event?
No, sports that look wanky, & unnatural

[arindiruppyr]

No, sports that look wanky, & unnatural

If I'm playing them, that's still all of them.

[Ndptbudd]

Basketball can go. The gold medal is a foregone conclusion anyway and I can't stand the way the Yanks are so up themselves.

[nilliraq]

If I'm playing them, that's still all of them.
Well Twoy, even I would look wanky in a walking race

[nilliraq]

Basketball can go. The gold medal is a foregone conclusion anyway and I can't stand the way the Yanks are so up themselves.
~thinking of the America's Cup~

[Ndptbudd]

~thinking of the America's Cup~

Winged boots!

[Alliopeti]

What are the criteria for the inclusion of an olympic sport?

There have been some interesting ones. Giani Stuparich won a gold medal in the Epic Work category of the Literature section for his work "La Grotta" in London 1948. More here: Arts Competition at the 1948 Summer Olympics

Tug of war went in 1920.

[arindiruppyr]

Well as far as I'm concerned, weightlifting, shotput, javelin, high jump, long jump, triple jump, hurdles, pole vault, discus, every single type of gymnastics, trampolining, air rifle, canoeing and handball, especially handball, all look silly.

My Olympics would be pretty short.

[nilliraq]

Table tennis

didn't see enough table tennis


no, seriously

[Zarekylin75]

Basketball can go. The gold medal is a foregone conclusion anyway and I can't stand the way the Yanks are so up themselves.

I reckon it was actually a really good game. The final margin was only 7 points, 1 point margin at half-time and three-quarter time. It was anything but a forgone conclusion.

[asharbiq]

> I can think of at least 6 sports which should be included ahead of "walking".

Name them. Are you thinking of the "vertical pole" perhaps?

> What are the criteria for the inclusion of an olympic sport?

They get suggestions for new Olympic sports all the time. Then someone from the Olympic committee comes out to study the sport in action and depending on their evaluation it is either included as a new Olympic sport or not.

Ok,
Squash
Tug of war
Water skiing events.
Orienteering
Sky sports, e.g. Free fall relative work, canopy accuracy
Rollerblading, speed and freestyle

I could go on. All infinitely more entertaining and pleasing to watch than that grotesque, un-natural walking event.

[Zarekylin75]

Ok,
Squash
Tug of war
Water skiing events.
Orienteering
Sky sports, e.g. Free fall relative work, canopy accuracy
Rollerblading, speed and freestyle

I could go on. All infinitely more entertaining and pleasing to watch than that grotesque, un-natural walking event.

Not sure of the exact wording, but there's a specific rule against sports that use engines. Being towed by a boat, or carried aloft by an aeroplane using an engine is probably outside of where they draw the line on which sports to include. Not saying they aren't legitimate sports, but the line has to be drawn somewhere.

Agree with you on the walking though, I think it is silly. I know there will be some die-hards who will argue very passionately in favour of it, but I'm happy to remain a philistine on this one.

[Enjoymms]

Tug of war used to be an Olympic event iirc. As did 2 handed shotput and a sort of swimming obstacle course/steeplechase thing.

[Zarekylin75]

To get a new sport in these days, there has to be some kind of international federation that all the national federations belong to. This body sets the official rules and otherwise administers the sport.

It is a significant organisational level to achieve before it can be considered. I wonder if there is an international body for tug of war, and if there is, how many national federations are affiliated with it.

[asharbiq]

Here's a couple more I'd rather watch than walking:

Polo
Karate
Compound bow archery. (A quite different discipline from recurve.)
Mud wrestling.

[Kokomoxcvcv]

My Olympics would be pretty short.

Well I had heard that the "original" original one had the one race over the distance of a stadia...

---------

There are far too many events in the olympics these days and they really should pare it back. The first to go should be equestrian because it is the horse that does most of the work. You put a bike rider on a different bike, they will perform much the same - you put a horse rider on a different horse and they are no chance.

And BMX?! Keep that stuff for the X-Games...

[maks_holi]

Well as far as I'm concerned, weightlifting, shotput, javelin, high jump, long jump, triple jump, hurdles, pole vault, discus, every single type of gymnastics, trampolining, air rifle, canoeing and handball, especially handball, all look silly.

My Olympics would be pretty short.

Oh no, keep rifling! The old guys and gals need to compete too

[Kokomoxcvcv]

Oh no, keep rifling! The old guys and gals need to compete too

So there is no lawn bowls at the olympics?

[maks_holi]

There was at least one (Australian) father-daughter pair of competitors at the Limpix this year. I'm pretty sure they were in rifling.

[VQdeochratis]

well it's cleaner than diesel.

lol