Rio Olympics 2016 discussion

[yorksrob]

Who was it in their infinite wisdom decided to coin the phrase "Team GB", which is meaningless in the true nature of the Olympic Games. Ignoring the recent Russian doping scandal that was to enhance the "Russian medal count" of that country, look back to the times of the East German teams who participated in past Olympic Games, where the sole aim was the team "medal count" in attempt to challenge the Americans at the time of political divide in Europe.

Sorry, but if you want to focus on the team rather than the individual performances, there is always the World Championships in which that can be said to be the main feature. To me, the example of all those months of training and the personal performance of Joe Clark winning the gold medal in the Kayak event is far nearer the true ethos of Olympic Games than any artificial team medal supremacy or otherwise.

As an outsider to the world of elite sport, it strikes me that reaching such heights can be a very solitary, even, perhaps lonely experience. Perhaps the Olympians enjoy the team dynamic as a chance meet and bond with other talented people.

 

[DelayRepay]

The RB channels have also been streaming the live feeds without any commentary at times or sometimes using commentators who appear not only to be non-BBC staff but often not British either. Last night BBC1 had the usual style of coverage of the athletics with regular studio analysis and discussion while a RB channel had uninterrupted coverage of the men's long jump showing every leap with commentary by a couple of New Zealanders. I have also heard a number of Australian and American voices: I wonder if the BBC has some sort of resouce sharing agreement with other English language broadcasters.

Those commentators work for the Olympic Broadcasting Service who supply pictures and some commentaries to all the olympic rights holders. It's up to each broadcaster whether they use the supplied commentary or just use the pictures with their own commentators.

I think the Red Button service is fantastic and shows the BBC's technical innovation at its best. It is a shame the "normal" channels spoil the coverage by constantly jumping between BBC 1 and BBC 2.

 

[richw]

Andy Murray to be made a sir?

 

[Butts]

As an outsider to the world of elite sport, it strikes me that reaching such heights can be a very solitary, even, perhaps lonely experience. Perhaps the Olympians enjoy the team dynamic as a chance meet and bond with other talented people.

I think you have hit the nail on the head here with regard to people like Andy Murray who normally forage a solo path. It is obvious that he loves to represent his Country in both the Davis Cup and Olympics.
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Andy Murray to be made a sir?

By any normal yardstick - perhaps they will wait till he retires. If Jason Kenny wins a sixth Gold he will be coming into consideration as well.

 

[Howardh]

Quick note about Colemanballs - hockey - Germany 2 - 0 down to NZ with about 6 mins to go. GER remove their keeper for a kicking back, cue the commentator "That's the last time we will see the German keeper".
Within minutes Germany are 2 - 2 and the keeper comes back on with almost a full minute to go!! For the record, Germany scores in the very last second to win 3 - 2.

 

[richw]

As an outsider to the world of elite sport, it strikes me that reaching such heights can be a very solitary, even, perhaps lonely experience. Perhaps the Olympians enjoy the team dynamic as a chance meet and bond with other talented people.

My brother, although not as elite as the Olympians was a competitor in British Championships, and most weekends he was competing somewhere around the uk, normally travelling alone, staying alone etc. I gather he grew good friends with the rivals, as like him they travelled alone as well.

 

[Lankyline]

As someone who is passionate about golf, I've played the game since I was 11, I really don't think it should be an Olympic sport and this is written after Justin Rose has won gold, there are more deserving sports that should be included, squash being one of them, though someone I heard on the radio recently suggested jousting !! now there's a thought

On the subject of commentators, BBC tv do seem to have a habit of putting their favourites into every sport going regardless of their experience in that sport or not, eg Gary Lineker hosting US Masters golf, absolutely clueless, got canned thank god, Claire Balding should stick to horses, on R5 live they have got Jonathan Agnew commentating on the equestrian events !!! i'd send Balding over to the radio for that one. But thank god for Victoria Pendleton co commentating on the cycling, brilliant.

One last thing did Stella McCartney design the team tracksuit in the dark ? What a bloody awful design.

 

[DarloRich]

Superb performance from Team GB surging up the medal table over the weekend!

 

[ExRes]

Superb performance from Team GB surging up the medal table over the weekend!

Oi, not so much patriotic jingoism thank you

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I think you have hit the nail on the head here with regard to people like Andy Murray who normally forage a solo path. It is obvious that he loves to represent his Country in both the Davis Cup and Olympics.

Incidentally, how are Scotland doing in the Davis Cup and the Olympic Games....

 

[Butts]

Incidentally, how are Scotland doing in the Davis Cup and the Olympic Games....

Not as well as Great Britain and Northern Ireland who he is proud to represent as was Chris Hoy before him

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

'A cop out': Swimming Australia's glowing assessment of Rio Olympic Games performance
Rio de Janeiro: Swimming Australia has been accused of giving its athletes "a cop out" after a glowing review of the team's performance at the Rio Olympic Games.

SA has awarded itself high marks in its own Olympics report card, despite winning fewer gold medals than at three of the past four Games. The gold medal yield of three was better than London (1) but not as good as Sydney (5), Athens (7) or Beijing (6).

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/olympic...ympics-games-performance-20160814-gqsch1.html

SA must of been watching a different Rio games than I was.
The trials show we can swim well but when it came to crunch time we were hopeless. It's nothing to do with skill. It's all above the shoulders.

 

[radamfi]

Australia only has 23 million people though. Medal tables are rather meaningless because they aren't adjusted for population.

 

[backontrack]

Australia only has 23 million people though. Medal tables are rather meaningless because they aren't adjusted for population.

But Britain doesn't have that many people either. And we're 2nd.

 

[richw]

But Britain doesn't have that many people either. And we're 2nd.

To take the top 3, I would conclude we are 3 times more successful than USA, and 15 times more successful than China on a per person basis.
Britain 64.1 million 38 medals, or 1 medal per 1,686,842 people
USA 318.9 million. 70 medals so far, 1 medal per 4,555,714 people
China 1.357 billion. 45 medals. 1 medal per 30,155,555 people.
And as a mentioned country,
Australia 23.13 million population, 22 medals, 1 medal per 1,051,363 people

As per BBC medal table at 1545 15/8/16. Britain have just won a further medal in the Hammer as I was typing that isn't included.

 

[DarloRich]

Just to keep up to date with the superb Team GB Olympic success so far in the Rio games:

Friday

• Gold in team pursuit ( Sir Bradley Wiggins, Ed Clancy, Owain Doull and Steven Burke)
• Gold in womens pairs rowing (Heather Stanning and Helen Glover)
• Gold in Mens fours rowing ( Alex Gregory, George Nash, Constantine Louloudis and Mohamed Sbihi)
• Silver for Bryony Page in trampoline
• Silver for team dressage
• Silver for Jazz Carlin in 800m freestyle swimming

Saturday:

• Gold for Mo Farrah in 10000m
• Gold for women's pursuit team (Joanna Rowsell-Shand, Laura Trott, Elinor Barker and Katie Archibald)
• Gold for Mens 8 rowing
• Silver for Becky James in the keirin
• Silver for Jessica Ennis-Hill in Heptahlon
• Silver for Men's 4x400m relay final in swimming
• Bronze for Greg Rutherford in Long jump

Sunday:

• Gold for Andy Murray in mens single tennis
• Gold for Justin Rose in mens golf
• Gold for Jason Kenny in mens sprint
• Gold for Max Whitlock the men's floor exercise
• Gold for Max Whitlock in the men's pommel final
• Silver for Louis Smith in the men's pommel final
• Silver for Callum Skinner in Mens Sprint
• Silver for Nick Dempsey in Windsurfing ( RS:X)

I don't really care who commentates, what the team outfit looks like or what Team GB stands for. Our athletes are doing a superb job. We should just enjoy it

 

[ExRes]

I'm just watching the dressage event and I think this will represent my memories of Rio 2016, empty seats, empty seats and more empty seats, as in so many other venues that I've seen, this is an apallingly badly supported Olympics

 

[DarloRich]

So far today:

• Gold for Charlotte Dujardin in Individual Dressage
• Silver for Mark Cavendish in mens omnium
• Bronze for Sophie Hitchin in hammer

 

[ivanhoe]

I'm just watching the dressage event and I think this will represent my memories of Rio 2016, empty seats, empty seats and more empty seats, as in so many other venues that I've seen, this is an apallingly badly supported Olympics

There isn't a lot of money in Rio. The problem with Rio's bid was that it was done at a time when economically , things were good in Brazil. The drop in price of minerals etc has caused a slump in their economy. There are many sports that have little coverage in Brazil and there isn't a culture of being at 'must be' events, unlike GB where by comparison, we are are really well off.

I do get annoyed by the likes of the BBC who seem to make an issue of Rio's problems often comparing it to London. As far as the sport is concerned, it is of a high quality and the athletes appear to be enjoying themselves.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

I'm just watching the dressage event and I think this will represent my memories of Rio 2016, empty seats, empty seats and more empty seats, as in so many other venues that I've seen, this is an apallingly badly supported Olympics

Brazil is very much a country of haves and have-nots. Also attendances have been much better for evening events and at or near capacity when a Brazilian competitor is involved even for sports not known for Brazilian success. Remember Bellucci/Sa v Murray/Murray? As I type I'm watching WTA from Cincinnati with perhaps just a couple of hundred spectators at this particular match but I've no doubt the evening session with Ana Ivanovic will be busy. Paying to watch sport is a relatively expensive activity: it's no surprise the Olympics have never been hosted by a Third World country.

 

[Howardh]

How many Gold's have Yorkshire won so far?

 

[radamfi]

But Britain doesn't have that many people either. And we're 2nd.

GB has more people than most developed countries though. Only the USA, Japan, Germany have more, France being about the same. GB has outperformed other big European countries such as Germany, France and Italy, although they tend to do better in the Winter Olympics.

 

[Lankyline]

How many Gold's have Yorkshire won so far?

Nearly as many as Lancashire

 

[ExRes]

Nice to see both the IOC and the Egyptian OC condemning the Egyptian judoka Islam El Shehaby along with the EOC sending him home, he was also 'strongly reprimanded' by the IOC

He chose to contravene judo rules by refusing to shake hands with his Israeli opponent and was also booed by the crowd

 

[Harbornite]

Mark Cavendish just got silver.

 

[DarloRich]

Mark Cavendish just got silver.

very pleased about that - missed out so many times! I didn't update the list above as the result was confirmed due to his crash

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Those commentators work for the Olympic Broadcasting Service who supply pictures and some commentaries to all the olympic rights holders. It's up to each broadcaster whether they use the supplied commentary or just use the pictures with their own commentators.

Thanks for the information, I'd never heard about this before. The things you can learn on a rail forum!

I think the Red Button service is fantastic and shows the BBC's technical innovation at its best. It is a shame the "normal" channels spoil the coverage by constantly jumping between BBC 1 and BBC 2.

Worse still, they switch from one to the other without overlap because they "need" to run their programme trailers. But yes the RB service is really good.

 

[Harbornite]

Make of this what you will...

Should Caster Semanya be allowed to compete as a woman? Tipped for 800m gold, she has no ovaries, nearly as much testosterone as a man and has sparked a huge ethical debate.

Semenya, 25, has testosterone levels three times the normal level found in women and approaching those of a man. Furthermore, she has no womb or ovaries, and instead, owing to a chromosomal abnormality, internal testes.

As a result, her appearance is startlingly masculine: her face and physique bring to mind the likes of those East German female hammer throwers of the Sixties and Seventies, whose young bodies were irredeemably masculated by cruel state-sponsored doping programmes.

Though such figures were often the subject of jocularity here in the West, these women’s lives were ruined and often shortened. And just as we should tread carefully when discussing such cases, we should also treat that of Caster Semenya with sensitivity.

It is clearly not her fault she has the condition hyperandrogenism, which causes her body to produce and absorb an excessive amount of male hormones. Though Semenya, as is her right, identifies herself in societal terms as a woman, many in the world of medicine would describe her as intersex or a hermaphrodite.

So with a physique more typically masculine than feminine, is it fair to allow Semenya to compete as a woman? This awkward question must be asked for her presence in the women’s competition presents ethical dilemmas.

One might feel that inclusivity — that she be allowed to compete — is the only rightful expression of the Olympic spirit.

But the reality is that while Semenya, with her excessive levels of testosterone, is allowed on to the track, any rival who raised her levels of the hormone through doping to match the South African’s would be banned.

Then there is the problem as to how, exactly, men and women should be divided for their separate sporting events when not everyone falls tidily into those two categories.

In a society where there are increasing calls for sex and gender to be viewed as being on a spectrum rather than falling into two camps, it is no wonder the world of sport, with its neat division of athletes for male and female events, struggles to navigate such complexities.

If Semenya were not allowed to compete in the women’s events, she would be discriminated against for a condition that is not her fault. But if she does compete, the fear is that it opens the doors for scores of intersex athletes to dominate female sport.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...osterone-man-sparked-huge-ethical-debate.html

 

[richw]

Thanks for the information, I'd never heard about this before. The things you can learn on a rail forum!



Worse still, they switch from one to the other without overlap because they "need" to run their programme trailers. But yes the RB service is really good.

Switching between channels is doing my head in. To reception is poor here, so we use a Now Tv box, iplayer is so slow it takes 1-2 minutes to change channel!

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Make of this what you will...



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...osterone-man-sparked-huge-ethical-debate.html

Considering she was cleared to carry on by the IAAF back in 2010 I do not understand why anyone wants to talk about this. Is the Daily Mail in a circulation war?