it always has me stumped too. The thing that makes me laugh though is when Americans, Scandinavians etc. have a go about cricket you're reminded that some of the sports they take part in are bonkers as well - curling, lacrosse, handball, baseball etc.... I mean, come on! I like pretty much everything that's not motor sport though.
Seems that the games can't rise above politics. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wants to attend the game, but it looks as though someone might be trying to keep him out. "I would like to be next to our young athletes at the 2012 Olympics but the host has a problem with this." The Olympic Committee has refused to comment. Is the government trying to prevent him from visiting? Should he be allowed in?
If he doesnlt make comments about wanting to wipe israel off the map then yes - but as he can't be trusted not to make such statements he can stay at home. Anyway, nobody ion their right mind would come to london during the olympics - it's going to be chaos.
Everyone has heard of the band Motley Crew, but maybe not Australia's motley crew. With quality numbers a bit light on the ground, it was decided that a women's eight was out of the question. But some fierce lobbying by rowers who had missed seats in other boats was enough to resurrect the 8s. As a last minute chance, these so called substandard ladies blew them away in the final Olympic qualification race at Lucerne. So now instead of watching the games on tv, they are off to London. And they were considered rubbish.
cyc we have a lad who is just 22 and is ranked number 1 in the world for his chosen sport Tae Kwon Do. He has just won a European title last month beating the 5th ranked competitor and our Olympic selection committee havnt picked him giving his place to a 21 year old... Forgotten the lads names sorry... A few newspapers have picked up on it and i can see this selection being changed, but it dos beg to argue what do some people have to do to get called up...
Seem's unjustified, i mean would you not rather your better man going than 93rd ranked in the world, i think everyone obviously would, i'm certain he would be in any other team but why not GB?
Cool Jana. When the games were in Sydney in 2000, people in droves gave their time and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I hope you do too. Ohhh I know you will. Please keep us up to date if you have the time.
The torch goes past my house this afternoon so I'l be out with the little ones to have look. Lots of stuff going on in the town to mark the occasion and with the weather set fair should be a good afternoon. A couple of things that occur to me having looked through this thread: (1) I'm maybe not as cycnical an ol git as thought! (2) well done to our Aussie correspondent for keeping the flame alight on here. Regarding point 1 the cynicism is somewhat understandable when it is reported that a florist in Stoke has been ordered to remove her Olympic ring floral display by trading standards. Apparently she risks being sued by the big corporates. Locog have ordered a crackdown. Sledgehammer and nut spring to mind.
A heap of people will not like the games Chanin. I don't know whether the economic spin off outstrips the initial outlay, but you'd have to think so. But I don't suppose you can please everybody. I personally I love the games, so I can't wait for them to begin. The only problem for me is that living on the far side of the planet, most of the finals will be in the AM and early morning. Thank God I can record the stuff.
Well Cyc judging by today there's a bigger heap who are really up for it. Crowds 10 deep on either side of the road all the way along the High Street in our small town in Shropshire is testament to that. The scale of the crowd was both surprising and uplifting. The time zone thing is a pain but I'm sure you'll cope. I've got tickets for an athletics session - daytime, no medals will be won but if the Bolt chap doubles up in the 200 we'll get to see him jog round in his opening heat. I actually wanted tickets for the triathlon and the long distance swim but got blown out on those.
See the scalpers are beginning to come out of the woodwork already. At the moment top price seems to be 10 times the official price, but that won't last. Some serious black money is going to be made here.
In an age where sexism is an anathema, it sort of comes as a bit of a surprise that some countries don't support sport for women. Saudi Arabia has been one of those countries. But now it seems as though that things are about to change there. For the first time Saudi women will be allowed to compete in a games. As there has been next to no women's sport in the country, mainly due to religious conservatism, only Delma Rushdi Malhas, a show jumper, looks assured of a place in the team. Efforts are being made to find others. Embassy officials who will oversee the program have stated that the women will have to preserve their dignity. This means that a sport's hijab will have to be worn. It was only last April that Saudi leaders confirmed that they would back the religious conservatives and enforce the ban, but pressure it seems has forced a few hands. About time.
