Why are evil oppressive regimes allow to take part in the Olympics?

[nicholab]

Why are evil oppressive regimes allow to take part in the Olympics?

 

China being the biggest!!!

[glennda]

Isn't the idea that sport is sport and politics is politics. By the percentage of golds to population we are winning by a long way!

[SYNACK]

Why are evil oppressive regimes allow to take part in the Olympics?

 

China being the biggest!!!

I don't know, why do they let the US participate

[witch]

Isn't the idea that sport is sport and politics is politics. By the percentage of golds to population we are winning by a long way!

I don't think we are - there are some pretty small places that have a couple of medals, like Slovenia, and places like NZ have very small populations. I think we are about 12th in terms of medals per capita .

As for oppressive regimes - who makes that decision? There are lots of countries that could be described as such.

[glennda]

I don't think we are - there are some pretty small places that have a couple of medals, like Slovenia, and places like NZ have very small populations. I think we are about 12th in terms of medals per capita .

As for oppressive regimes - who makes that decision? There are lots of countries that could be described as such.

 

i was going on a discussion at cricket yesterday so not complete fact!. if you compare us to the likes of china and USA then yeah we are winning!

[nicholab]

Three countries break the Olympic rules and send no women with saudi arabia law baning women!

[kearton]

Yes, NZ is at the top of the table per capita....

2012 London Olympic Results by Population

[glennda]

Yes, NZ is at the top of the table per capita....

2012 London Olympic Results by Population

 

Yeah but if you include the sheep...

[PiqueABoo]

Three countries break the Olympic rules and send no women with saudi arabia law baning women!

 

Dunno about anyone else, but it jumped out at me during the ceremony (commentary was in Portuguese so I got no help spotting it): Saudi had their arms twisted... Olympics judo: Shahrkhani first Saudi Arabian woman at Games

 

Edit: I'd like to see a medals per $million spent on the team table.

Edited August 5, 2012 by PiqueABoo

[shadowx]

McDonalds aren't participating...

 

Oh! You mean athletes as opposed to legally and morally questionable companies gaining explicit and exclusive promotional rights to the detriment of small individuals and limited companies effectively producing a monopoly effect in the exclusion zones which the law is unwilling and legally unable to challenge due to the Olympic acts and laws passed as part of the contract to host the games in the first place... Silly me! Not to mention sports such as football being "Olympic" despite the fact they have nothing to do with the Olympics at all, the modern perversion of a once superb tradition that brought together the many corners of the world for a celebration of the sporting and artistic traditions and skills from the corners of the globe has instead replaced such skills and arts with football. One of the most popular and yet vulgar and boring activities one could possibly watch. How they manage to find something in football to fight over still astounds me, in fact I can't even find anything in football that can keep me sleeping let alone excite me enough to smack someone in the mouth. But alas perhaps my intelligence (and obviously wit) are far above that required to enjoy the sport of football.

 

!TEAM GB!

[localzuk]

Who would the judge of who is an evil oppressive regime be? If you go by government control of expression, the UK isn't exactly up high on the rankings...

 

No, the Olympics is about sport. That's it.

[aerospacemango]

McDonalds aren't participating...

 

Oh! You mean athletes as opposed to legally and morally questionable companies gaining explicit and exclusive promotional rights to the detriment of small individuals and limited companies effectively producing a monopoly effect in the exclusion zones which the law is unwilling and legally unable to challenge due to the Olympic acts and laws passed as part of the contract to host the games in the first place... Silly me! Not to mention sports such as football being "Olympic" despite the fact they have nothing to do with the Olympics at all, the modern perversion of a once superb tradition that brought together the many corners of the world for a celebration of the sporting and artistic traditions and skills from the corners of the globe has instead replaced such skills and arts with football. One of the most popular and yet vulgar and boring activities one could possibly watch. How they manage to find something in football to fight over still astounds me, in fact I can't even find anything in football that can keep me sleeping let alone excite me enough to smack someone in the mouth. But alas perhaps my intelligence (and obviously wit) are far above that required to enjoy the sport of football.

 

!TEAM GB!

 

OR...perhaps your intelligence and wit are too far below that required to enjoy football?*

 

Football is a recent, and somewhat unwelcome, addition to the Olympics IMHO. However, it is in, therefore I will watch it.

 

The fact is that ALL the other athletes have knocked the footballers into a cocked hat. Look at the passion and commitment of our Olympians and contrast that to the boorish behaviour exhibited every week on the football pitch. Football could learn a lot from Athletics, Sailing, Rowing, Cycling, and every other Olympic sport.....but it won't.....and it will continue to be the awful abomination of a game that it once was.

 

Anyway, loving the Olympics....and love my football!

 

 

 

 

 

* This is a joke....and not meant to start a flaming war!

[tmcd35]

I though things like the Olympics, Eurovision, the World Cup, etc are about bringing nations together and promoting world peace (sic.) not driving a wedge between nations. Surely admittance by government politics is counter-intuitive to that goal?

[aerospacemango]

Oh....and to get the thread back on track....

 

It could be argued that North Korea/ Saudi Arabia, etc, view US (that's us, not the U.S.) as an oppressive regime. As it is only a year since the riots that could have been used on a foreign station to display a government crackdown, or some other propaganda message to suit their needs. The truth can be twisted no matter what country you live in.

[JJonas]

One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter

[unixman_again]

Silly me! Not to mention sports such as football being "Olympic" despite the fact they have nothing to do with the Olympics at all...

It sounds like you're going to love the 2016 ga,es when golf and rugby sevens make an appearance. I actually agree with you and IMO football, tennis, horse riding and beach volleyball have no place in the Olympics and should be replaced by lacrosse, korf ball, baseball/softball and ten pin bowling.

[Andrew_C]

Oh I agree, they should be banned.

 

After all, you wouldn't want a country that sends, or allows to be sent, it's people to a foreign country to be tortured by their "organs of state", would you?

[tmcd35]

It sounds like you're going to love the 2016 ga,es when golf and rugby sevens make an appearance. I actually agree with you and IMO football, tennis, horse riding and beach volleyball have no place in the Olympics and should be replaced by lacrosse, korf ball, baseball/softball and ten pin bowling.

 

World Games - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

I've actually enjoyed the 2012 games a lot more than I ever thought I would. The Cycling, Tennis and Swimming have been pretty gripping. I'm not sure I could sit through 3-4 days of gold, but I said that about the Olympics this year and have tuned in every day. And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested in seeing who takes gold - bring it on Rio...

[JJonas]

Just going off track a bit, loving the olympics coverage especially the chance to watch sports we dont normally see on TV.

[CAM]

I don't see a problem with football in the Olympics, the BBC are providing over 20 channels of coverage for various sports and the football has had farely low-key news coverage since it isn't the top tier for the sport. If you absolutely have to home in on the one or two channel numbers showing football then it isn't the Olympics' fault!

 

As for banning countries, that goes against the entire concept and ethos of the Olympics (LOCOG are doing that fine on their own with sponsorship). There are even athletes competing under the olympic flag as Independant Olympic Competitors as their home country has been torn apart by war into two seperate states (Sudan) or politically annexed into another country (Some Dutch islands losing their independance). I for one like to see the troubled countries like Iran, Syria or North Korea win a gold.

[icttech]

Interesting thread, getting back on to the subject of about evil oppressive regimes.

 

Makes me wonder how we have managed to host the Olympics in the first place, as no one voted for a coalition government but yet we still have one which passes the increase of student fees. Seems we the UK are dictating as much as any other country to its people. Seems to me we have an evil regime as well.

 

Call it irony Beijing and now Lodon :-)

 

Anyone agree?

[JJonas]

This is why opressive regimes should be allowed to take part

 

[shadowx]

This is why opressive regimes should be allowed to take part

 

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North Korea's guy was probably taken out back and shot after that...

 

Perhaps it is that I am too unintelligent to watch and understand the complexities of football

 

Slightly on topic (in my own sort of way...) Morality is not universal. As a bit of a trekkie (Well, if Voyager counts ) I think of the day when we do meet ETs and see their societies and alliances and what not at which point we have a MASSIVE question to ask ourselves, is it right for us to push our morals and laws on to remote civilizations? Just because we view something as wrong (IE oppression) they may see us as being wrong (IE sexual promiscuity). I completely oppose states like N Korea, Burma, China but that's because I have been taught to oppose them. I think the olympics should welcome all nations provided they abide by the rules which should include things like no prejudice, segregation, inhumane treatment etc.. of their own athletes or anyone else in the host country, abiding by all the local laws and ensuring that the athletes aren't under duress or blackmail etc... and of course equality in that no-one, provided they qualify for the sport, should be denied the opportunity due to race, religion, sex etc...Unless their sport is football, then they should all be denied.

 

As for golf.. God help us... Golf is even more tedious that foozbell. What next? Chess? (Surprise me, go on...)

[tmcd35]

What next? Chess? (Surprise me, go on...)

 

 

Mmmm, Could work - I foresee three entrants - Russia, America (1st non Human Olympian), and Britain (Eddie the Eagle Edwards). The Bronze medal would be an interesting match...

[unixman_again]

Chess is a sport recognised by the IOC, as is bridge. These wouldn't be terribly visual though in competition. Perhaps Chess boxing is an option to make it more appealing to the mass-market.