Olympics Yes or No

[Falkor]

I can't find any evidence that backs your statement up. I would suggest private enterprise makes the profit while the tax payer stumps up most of the cash.

84- LA 250mill profit
88- Seoul 300mill profit
92- Barcelona a small profit of 5mill
96- Atlanta a small profit of 10mill
00- Sydney- Not really known but said to be about 250mill but also totally regenerated the city
04- Athens- Made a lost partly due to the huge security measure they were awarded the Olympics not long after 9/11 and the fact that they cant get anyone in the stadiums they have built, tbh it was a complete disaster.
08- Not known at the moment

 

[KZNSeagull]

Astounding.

'They' are not the best at anything?

'They' should not be given a platform to perform in front of the world?

I am genuinely puzzled as to why anyone would have strong feelings against the Paralympics. Competitors can't compete on a level playing field with able bodied athletes, but that shouldn't mean that they should be binned off.

Quite right.

The Olympic spirit is about inspiring and motivating people to be the best they can be. Not the best in the world, the best that they can be.

There are some on this thread that could do with some of that.

 

[Gazwag]

Can imagine it to be a big failure compared with Baijing

Other than the good opening ceremony what was so special about it then

 

[Falkor]

Other than the good opening ceremony what was so special about it then

the multiple world records broken?

 

[KZNSeagull]

Well I'm a distinctly mediocre specimen anyway, so I'm certainly not suggesting anybody is inferior to me. I've absolutely nothing against disabled people - how is it is even possible to have something against them? Of course their situation is a nightmare. But that should not give them the right to jump on the Olympics bandwagon by staging their own event straight after it. If you're going to hold a sporting event, only the very best should apply. Women, children, those with a disability, old people, fat people, midgets, the terminally ill - they're all disadvantaged as they cannot possibly compete with the fittest man, so why don't we give them ALL their own Olympics?

So Sport is only for the best, those that have a chance of winning?

I repeat, the Olympics is about motivating and inspiring people to be the best that THEY can be. This has absolutely nothing to do with winning or being the best in the world. It is about being the best that you, as an individual, can be.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Well I'm a distinctly mediocre specimen anyway, so I'm certainly not suggesting anybody is inferior to me. I've absolutely nothing against disabled people - how is it is even possible to have something against them? Of course their situation is a nightmare. But that should not give them the right to jump on the Olympics bandwagon by staging their own event straight after it. If you're going to hold a sporting event, only the very best should apply. Women, children, those with a disability, old people, fat people, midgets, the terminally ill - they're all disadvantaged as they cannot possibly compete with the fittest man, so why don't we give them ALL their own Olympics?

Fat people do compete in the Olympics. Have you not watched any of the shot putt, discuss etc?

Paralympics is a seperate event. It follows on the Olympic for a variety of reasons. The is a Deaflympics which is entirely seperate and has been running since 1923 (I think).

I have had this argument before with [MENTION=435]Stat Brother[/MENTION] I seem to remember that he suggested that only people with a chance of a medal should turn up. It would be a very small event if that were the case.

 

[cunning fergus]

Astounding.

'They' are not the best at anything?

'They' should not be given a platform to perform in front of the world?

I am genuinely puzzled as to why anyone would have strong feelings against the Paralympics. Competitors can't compete on a level playing field with able bodied athletes, but that shouldn't mean that they should be binned off.

.
And before the Dysmorphobe [MENTION=144]goldstone[/MENTION] pipes up with the lazy term, PC Correct/Madness, it is nothing about that and everything to do with being inclusive. Or would you prefer a society with marginalised groups seperated? How about we starts with supreme beings like you and stick you in first class and work our way back from there.

Its an interesting philasophical point if nothing else. There are plenty of examples where disabled individuals are able to compete equally against their able bodied counterparts, Stevie Wonder, Stephen Hawking, Douglas Bader and Michael Caines all spring to mind.

I have no axe to grind about the paralympics as a concept, I wish the best of luck to all those involved. However, its not elite sport and nor are its competitors. The well intentioned in the Govt and media may want to represent it to the wider public that way, but frankly the spectacle of people with Multi Sclerosis and Spina Bifida competing against dwarves is not my interpretation of "sport".

I accept that its a difficult balancing act to have "inclusion" without being patronising, however the way the paralympics is currently being positioned smacks of tokenism...............of the very worst kind.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

Got my tickets to the Paralympics yesterday. Really excited about going!

 

[KZNSeagull]

Let's tell Usain to f*** off and not bother coming this summer than and get a load of 'inspiring' people in his place.

I am sure that Usain inspires many people. I am equally certain that someone like Natalie du Toit has inspired just as many people. But under your "ideal", she would not be allowed to compete.

 

[Falkor]

Id like to take some of you to meet some disabled athletes and voice your views to them

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Other than the good opening ceremony what was so special about it then

Talkng of the opening ceremony, I expect ours to be cringeworthy, but I guess it has to appeal to a very wide audience. I would think the sport itself to be pretty good though - my travel to work and back might be affected though, as a side effect.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

84- LA 250mill profit
88- Seoul 300mill profit
92- Barcelona a small profit of 5mill
96- Atlanta a small profit of 10mill
00- Sydney- Not really known but said to be about 250mill but also totally regenerated the city
04- Athens- Made a lost partly due to the huge security measure they were awarded the Olympics not long after 9/11 and the fact that they cant get anyone in the stadiums they have built, tbh it was a complete disaster.
08- Not known at the moment

Source ? And I don't mean Wiki !

How does that profit ( if there really was profit ) breakdown to private organisations v public purse ? I really find it hard to believe that the tax payer isn't inevitably out of pocket in favour of business making a profit.

 

[Falkor]

Source ? And I don't mean Wiki !

How does that profit ( if there really was profit ) breakdown to private organisations v public purse ? I really find it hard to believe that the tax payer isn't inevitably out of pocket in favour of business making a profit.

Source news site, Olympic sites the info i found straight away and it wasnt wiki, i dont use wiki lol

 

[m20gull]

Surely if it were about 'inclusion' then the Olympics should include events at which everyone has a chance? By having a separate event at which a disability is a qualification that is surely a recipe for 'exclusion'.

 

[Stat Brother]

I have had this argument before with [MENTION=435]Stat Brother[/MENTION] I seem to remember that he suggested that only people with a chance of a medal should turn up. It would be a very small event if that were the case.

I'm slightly concerned about being dragged into this.
I can't remember our 'argument' BoF, but I'd image my side of it was connected to Mr Average Team GB, not Olympians in general, or Paraolympian (sp) .

That being a heavily funded athlete, usual track, trotting up 7th in a semi final.
Then grabbing the mike to say what a 'great experience it was', 'can't complain about my performance' blah blah blah.

I expect better.

I would have then sighted Team GB cycling in Bejing.
If you're not going to medal, you're not going.
Which is why all but 1 team member medalled, in China. (Ironically Cav missing out).

 

[Bry Nylon]

My Blueprint for the Olympics:

Firstly:
Once every 4 years in Sydney
Once every 4 years in Athens

All Olympic Associations help fund it so the host cities aren't bankrupt by it and it gets rid of the bidding process and corruption within the IOC.

Second:
A major overhaul of Olympic events.
Track and Field, Aquatic events, gymnastics, non-pro boxing and the marathon. End of.

No tennis, no shooting, no bikes, no sailing, no baseball, hockey or ping-pong, no equestrian no football and all the other stuff. Strip it right down.

 

[lizard]

On thursday I got a tour around the olympic village before attending an event inside the velodrome. The site is really impressive albeit unfinished, velodrome was great inside, having never been anywhere similar I couldn't believe how steep the track looked. I found the seats to be uncomfortable after an hour, but lots of leg room, they should have put in the seats we have at the AMEX!
I'm kind of on the fence for the olympics and haven't bothered to get any tickets for the events.
It will cost the country a hell of a lot of money that i can't see fully being returned by the games, but with he increased tourism it may give the british ecomomy a well needed lift.

 

[countryman]

Track and Field, Aquatic events, gymnastics, non-pro boxing and the marathon. End of.

Gymnastics. That isn't a proper sport.