The London Olympics

[mc ukrneal]

Can't say I have been following the Olympics closely, though it's hard not to notice. But sickened by two events:

1  The Chinese badminton pair throwing the match. Vanessa could have defeated them with Kimi. They, along with three other pairs got thrown out. I think they should have thrown out the other Chinese pair as well.

2  The US swimming coach publicly saying the Chinese swimmer who won two gold to be possibly on drugs. I guess every winner and non-winner technically could be. But to say so without evidence during the competition after one of your own lost is just sick. Should a coach from some other country said the same about Phelps, Lochte, Bolt, etc... Well, the US print media I have read mostly report it with focus on why and how the accusation might be true. But that is entirely beside the point. Good to see most other media outside of the US are more objective.

#1 - Agree.

#2 - Agree and disagree. I think back to the '80's when there were complaints about some of the East bloc teams in the same way. There was no evidence. Should people have said nothing?  I also think about Lance Armstrong, who denies it, but there are may people who claim otherwise. If he did use them, he did it while being tested for drugs and was never caught. In sports in general, I think it is still being done, despite testing, and that the drugs are ahead of the testing. I actually believe the Chinese swimmer if she says she didn't use them. I'm not so sure I believe the coaches and the system behind her. They appear inhuman to me, something that is perpetuated with stories about not telling a swimmer their grandparents died a year ago or that her own mother was sick!! Maybe these are not representative of how things are done - I don;t know.  But if it were a swimmer from another country, I would feel the same doubt, because the time is a bit of an anomoly. Is it fair? No - absolutely not. But that is also the world we live in.

[Florestan]

How about poor Shin A Lam? The referees of that match are a disgrace for their profession and violated the olympic spirit big time. They should be banned for life from refereeing. Also the behavior of Britta Heidemann was outrageous: to show so much enthusiasm over such a shameful and dubious victory betrays a petty character and a complete lack of honor. I was very glad and pleased when she lost the final.

[mc ukrneal]

How about poor Shin A Lam? The referees of that match are a disgrace for their profession and violated the olympic spirit big time. They should be banned for life from refereeing. Also the behavior of Britta Heidemann was outrageous: to show so much enthusiasm over such a shameful and dubious victory betrays a petty character and a complete lack of honor. I was very glad and pleased when she lost the final.

The Korean fencer? Agree totally. Of all the stories, that's the one that upsets me the most because it seems like the match was just stolen from her. The attempt to give her a medal after the fact seems to support that.

[Florestan]

The attempt to give her a medal after the fact

[mc ukrneal]

Referring to this...http://sports.yahoo.com/video/south-korean-fencer-refuses-olympic-154000114.html (it's a video, but I am not finding an article at the moment)

Here is text if you don't want video: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/olympics/article-2181812/London-2012-Olympics-Shin-A-Lam-refuses-special-medal.html

[knight66]

One thing I found odd....why Great Britain?  Why not England and Scotland having their own separate nations compete?

The Welsh and Scots' flags are not even allowed into the venues. The only flag of the UK the spectators are allowed to sport is the Union Jack. So much for free speech.

I was told to try to keep out of London for the 50 dys of both Olympics and the prep, and to work elsewhere. But I have been aston London last week and this week and it is quieter than normal, I get to sit on the underground when normally I am standing up shoulder to armpit with other commuters. But no doubt close to the main venues it is a different story.

Realy shameful about the badminton athletes. The people who paid to see the event will not get their money back.

Mike

[The new erato]

Water polo just became interesting:

[Florestan]

Referring to this...http://sports.yahoo.com/video/south-korean-fencer-refuses-olympic-154000114.html (it's a video, but I am not finding an article at the moment)

Here is text if you don't want video: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/olympics/article-2181812/London-2012-Olympics-Shin-A-Lam-refuses-special-medal.html

Thanks, I didn't know that.

The medal will be for 'aspiration to win and respect for the rules,' said the International Fencing Federation in a statement.

This is like adding insult to injury. She was right in refusing this bribe.

'They have never experienced this before with three attacks in the last second. Their timekeeping machine only has seconds, not fractions of a second. It cannot handle a situation like yesterday. That they admit.'

Excuse me? What human being in the full possession of his minds can really believe that it is humanly possible to have fencing 3 attacks in just 1 second? This is madness. Instead of frankly admitting that they made a huge mistake by forgetting to reset the clock (which is a fully understandable human error) they blame the clock itself for not being able to count fractions of seconds (which is a plain lie: see the results for swimming or athletics, where they count fractions of seconds all right). Kafka anyone?

Shame on them, three times shame on them!

[springrite]

The Welsh and Scots' flags are not even allowed into the venues. The only flag of the UK the spectators are allowed to sport is the Union Jack. So much for free speech.

The flags of Catalonya was allowed in the Barcalona Olympics and it was all over the place, including in the grounds at the opening ceremony. For that, the Catalonyans cheered the King's speech wholeheartedly. That was a wonderful moment.

[knight66]

I gather it is to do with possible 'rebel flage of other nations thereby creeping in. Sport/politics/big business.....the usual stuff I guess.

Mike

[Florestan]

I gather it is to do with possible 'rebel flage of other nations thereby creeping in. Sport/politics/big business.....the usual stuff I guess.

Waving "rebel flags" is not allowed, but officially robbing a fencer of her well-deserved medal is... Talk about the olympic spirit, honor and all that...

[Karl Henning]

Hey, I'm watching the Dick van Dyke Show

[Karl Henning]

I prefer my physical comedy vintage, I suppose . . . .

[Ataraxia]

Watch out for the ottoman.

[springrite]

I prefer my physical comedy vintage, I suppose . . . .

Buster Keaton! Vintager than yours! Ha!

[Karl Henning]

Ods boddikins!

[Bogey]

Watch out for the ottoman.

I wonder if Vegas has odds on his tripping each week a new show premiered?

[mahler10th]

The Welsh and Scots' flags are not even allowed into the venues. The only flag of the UK the spectators are allowed to sport is the Union Jack. So much for free speech.

Thank you for letting us know that Mike.  I went nuts and write a long diatrible about it, then discovered this in the English press:
"China made the ruling to stop protesters waving the flag of Tibet. "
"Flags of nations that are not competing will be confiscated..."
It applies to the English national flag also.  So whilst still disgruntled, I eventually deleted my rant.  :-(

With more sports and events to come, I am glad to see the Olympics opening up and being discussed by proper Olympians and sports people on the BBC, not newsreaders gloating over how great London is for all this.

PS:  As you may remember Mike, there are no 'free speech' laws in the UK whatsoever, just like we have no bill of rights and stuff.

[Todd]

Weightlifting is the only sport I can watch for more than 2-3 minutes, though I pretty much never get to see any.  This year's game did result in one memorable and painful looking injury thus far:





I wish him a speedy and full recovery, but this so looks like an "agony of defeat" moment.

[mahler10th]

Weightlifting is the only sport I can watch for more than 2-3 minutes, though I pretty much never get to see any.  This year's game did result in one memorable and painful looking injury thus far:





I wish him a speedy and full recovery, but this so looks like an "agony of defeat" moment.

It looks like he hath engaged in experimental sexual frolics.  But on the brighter side, I too wish him a speedy and full recovery, poor fellow.