What sports don't belong in the Olympics?

[rkim291968]

They kicked wrestling out of the Olympics which is crap.   IMO, there are many sports that should have been kicked out ahead of Olympics.  If I am an IOC czar, I'd drop the following sports from the Olympics in a heart beat.  In no particular order ...

Ban category:

• Equestrian - belongs in animal Olympics.  Animals do the work and rich owners gets the medal?
• Modern Pentathlon - this opens the door for more combination events anyone can think of.  How about combing boxing, marathon, and diving and call it a trimadathon?
• Race walking - what's next?   Race crawling on all four?  How about race walking side ways?   Race hopping using one leg?
• Trampoline - isn't it like jumping up and down on bed?
• Sync swimming - I can see syncrho 100 meter dash, syncrho biking, ...
• Sync diving - Chinese conspiracy to add a few more medals to their total
• Artistic Gymnastics - belongs in Cirque du Soleil?
• Sailing - how about parachuting?  Of course, then comes synchro parachuting.

Reduce medal category:

• Swimming - American conspiracy to beef up medal total.  See my comment on race walking.  There should be only one style (free or whatever a swimmer can swim fastest).    At least get rid of medley event, and/or team events.
• Track - see swimming.
• Canoe/Kayaking - I almost put this on "Ban" category.
• Cycling - when and how we ended up with 4 different types of bicycling: BMX, road, track, mountain?  Ooooo ... I see combination category coming.
• Gymnastics - either get rid of all round event or just have it only
• Rowing - see Canoe
• Shooting - I almost put this on "Ban" category.
  

What are your lists?

[Lihu]

I like your reasons for taking out Equestrian :-)). Seems odd to take out wrestling. Just seems like the main reason ancient greeks held an olympics.

[jamo]

I don't see much of a need to remove any of them?

[saturday]

Animal Olympics lolololol. Just bring back wrestling and make sure, MAKE SURE women's beach volleyball is still there.

[Chilli Dipper]

In summary, any Olympic sport that you don't understand should be abolished, and the remaining sports should be condensed into one homogenized event that would be easier for you to follow. Never mind that it takes a different type of athlete to excel in a cross-country mountain bike race opposed to a Keirin race on a track, or a marathon runner compared to a 400-meter hurdler. It's all the same thing in your eyes.

[barbm12thtee]

Here's one I'd like to see brought back, Tug of War. And they should introduce Potato Sack Race. Seriously bring back women's softball.

[boogielicious]

Originally Posted by rkim291968

They kicked wrestling out of the Olympics which is crap.   IMO, there are many sports that should have been kicked out ahead of Olympics.  If I am an IOC czar, I'd drop the following sports from the Olympics in a heart beat.  In no particular order ...

Ban category:

Equestrian - belongs in animal Olympics.  Animals do the work and rich owners gets the medal?

Modern Pentathlon - this opens the door for more combination events anyone can think of.  How about combing boxing, marathon, and diving and call it a trimadathon?

Race walking - what's next?   Race crawling on all four?  How about race walking side ways?   Race hopping using one leg?

Trampoline - isn't it like jumping up and down on bed?

Sync swimming - I can see syncrho 100 meter dash, syncrho biking, ...

Sync diving - Chinese conspiracy to add a few more medals to their total

Artistic Gymnastics - belongs in Cirque du Soleil?

Sailing - how about parachuting?  Of course, then comes synchro parachuting.

Reduce medal category:

Swimming - American conspiracy to beef up medal total.  See my comment on race walking.  There should be only one style (free or whatever a swimmer can swim fastest).    At least get rid of medley event, and/or team events.

Track - see swimming.

Canoe/Kayaking - I almost put this on "Ban" category.

Cycling - when and how we ended up with 4 different types of bicycling: BMX, road, track, mountain?  Ooooo ... I see combination category coming.

Gymnastics - either get rid of all round event or just have it only

Rowing - see Canoe

Shooting - I almost put this on "Ban" category.

What are your lists?

• Equestrian - but then rich people's kids won't have a chance at the Olympics
• Modern Pentathlon - It would be more fun if they shot at each other, HUNGER GAMES!
• Race walking - agreed
• Trampoline - recently added and agreed.
• Sync swimming - OMG!  Worst sport ever except with Martin Short and Harry Shearer do it.
• Sync diving - ZZZZZZZZZ
• Artistic Gymnastics - It used to be called rhythmic gymnastics.  It is dumb and for only real gymnastic drop outs.
• Sailing - keep but reduce the number of events and make them sail to the games!

• Swimming - Keep. It is the second biggest viewing draw.
• Track - First sport.  Will never be removed or reduced.
• Canoe/Kayaking - too many variations, reduce.
• Cycling - I used to race, but I agree.  It needs to be paired down.  there are too many track event.
• Gymnastics - Never happen.  By far the biggest audience draw.
• Rowing - reduce the number of events.
• Shooting - HUNGER GAMES!

I would add:  Ping Pong and Badminton to the banned list.

[barbm12thtee]

Can you believe Ping Pong ranked higher than Golf, by Olympic Committee and other sports analyst, in most demanding sports? http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=2857006

[Chilli Dipper]

Originally Posted by barbm12thtee

Can you believe Ping Pong ranked higher than Golf, by Olympic Committee and other sports analyst, in most demanding sports? http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=2857006

The table tennis they play at the Olympic level only slightly resembles what you played in your uncle's rec room as a kid.

[rkim291968]

Table Tennis & Badminton at Olympic level are hard sports.  Perhaps, we should combine tennis, table tennis, and badminton as one event and call it a pingathon.

( If anyone checked out Asian games, some games they include are simply stupid.  Don't get me started on this but maybe one day, I should. )

[rkim291968]

BTW folks, I started the thread in half jest.  I didn't mean to offend anyone who plays trampoline, artistic gymnastics, etc..  So, keep your response light, witty.   But if you have a real good suggestion, please contact IOC .

This whole Olympic mess started when hosting nation was allowed to add a sport.   This is how some of the sports got added and never came off (no such luck for baseball).   I sure like to see baseball added.  Golf is recently added I can see people calling for bowling (already an Asian game medal event).   If bowling is added, billiard will be added (already an Asian game medal event, I think).   If billiard is added, then ... well ... you get my point .

[rkim291968]

Originally Posted by barbm12thtee

Here's one I'd like to see brought back, Tug of War. And they should introduce Potato Sack Race. Seriously bring back women's softball.

Tug of War - too brutal. I can see arms being torn off.    However, I'd like to see nations settling their dispute with it instead of going to real war.

No on Potato Sack Race but maybe on Softball & Baseball.   Seriously, not enough nations play these which is one of the reasons why they were dropped.  The other big reason being that it does not garner good global TV rating.

[barbm12thtee]

BTW folks, I started the thread in half jest.  I didn't mean to offend anyone who plays trampoline, artistic gymnastics, etc..  So, keep your response light, witty.   But if you have a real good suggestion, please contact IOC. This whole Olympic mess started when hosting nation was allowed to add a sport.   This is how some of the sports got added and never came off (no such luck for baseball).   I sure like to see baseball added.  Golf is recently added I can see people calling for bowling (already an Asian game medal event).   If bowling is added, billiard will be added (already an Asian game medal event, I think).   If billiard is added, then ... well ... you get my point :-D .

thought it was funny.

[liquor box]

I think anything that requires a judge to give a score should not be an Olympic sport.

I want only sports with a definitive winning strategy, score more goals, cross the line first, knockout your opponent etc.

I would love to see a team golf event with a 4 man Ambrose best ball comp. Imagine the scores possible! I think rounds of 54 might be possible!

[David in FL]

Originally Posted by Lihu

I like your reasons for taking out Equestrian ).

Seems odd to take out wrestling. Just seems like the main reason ancient greeks held an olympics.

Saying that the horse does all the work in equestrian is the equivalent of saying that the car does all the work in Nascar.....  I agree though, removing wrestling is just plain wrong.

Sorry, but golf does not belong as an Olympic sport.

[boogielicious]

Originally Posted by Chilli Dipper

The table tennis they play at the Olympic level only slightly resembles what you played in your uncle's rec room as a kid.

Especially when it is a match between:

and his arch nemesis

[rkim291968]

Originally Posted by David in FL

Saying that the horse does all the work in equestrian is the equivalent of saying that the car does all the work in Nascar.....  I agree though, removing wrestling is just plain wrong.

Sorry, but golf does not belong as an Olympic sport.

I don't know about Nascar but I know a bit about horse racing.   Jockeys who get better horses have better winning percentage.  Sure, there are exceptional jockeys who can still win with lesser horses.  But horse's ability prevails more often than what a jockey does.   Often, jockey merely follows trainer's instruction on how to run a race.   If horse racing is an Olympic event, would jockey get the medal?  horse?  owner?  trainer?

True story.   Late Moon Sun Myung, the (in)famous former Unitarian church leader, had many children, 14 all told.  Years back, several of them got interested in Equestrian.  They were able to buy good (and expensive) equestrian horses, trained a bit, and qualified as Korean national team members and participated in two Olympics.   I think they even won medals in Asian games.  I don't think they went to Olympics because they were good athletes.   As I recall, it caused a minor stir when it was reported how much they paid for their horses.