Rio Olympics 2016 discussion

[Harbornite]

It seems a good time to start a thread on the olympics, which are only just under a month away, although they have been overshadowed by the Euros and recent political events.

Overall, things don't seem too good over there with Zika and other things resulting in low-ish ticket sales. I thought I'd share this article which covers some of these issues

http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-reasons-why-2016-summer-olympics-should-be-cancelled/

If you're unfamiliar, that's the science-fiction-sounding word that's used to describe the arena where cycling competitions take place. It's an important part of the Olympic experience, and Brazil still hasn't finished building one yet. In fact, the government just cancelled the contract of the company building it. This seems like a good time to remind everyone that we're less than 50 days away from the start of the games.

Jordan Spieth, the chap who came close to winning the masters, has pulled out.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...dan-spieth-golf-rio-summer-olympics/86981256/

TROON, Scotland – Calling it the toughest decision he’s ever had to make in his young life, Jordan Spieth cited health concerns on Tuesday as the reason for pulling out of the Rio Summer Games.

This article covers Russia's ban
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/athletic...iaafs-crack-in-the-door-is-a-cop-out-that-th/

“tiny crack in the door”. It was an innocuous enough expression, but one with far-reaching repercussions. By allowing Russian athletes a back door into this summer’s Olympic Games, the International Association of Athletics Federations has turned what could have been a blanket ban, and a confidence-restoring gesture in track and field, into an incomplete fudge that is ripe for all manner of challenge and compromise. Just watch over the coming weeks as the Russians try to wrench open this “tiny crack” with a giant crowbar.

Somehow I don't think this year's event will be as good as 2012's!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I've just added some quotes, thought I'd use this as an excuse to bump the thread.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Here's the latest article I can find on the olympics. Make of this what you will.

SAO PAULO (AP) The last time Brazil played a major soccer tournament at home, Neymar was stretchered off the field and then missed an embarrassing loss against Germany in the 2014 World Cup semifinals.

Two years later, the Barcelona star looks to rebound from that disappointment at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

[ MORE: All the latest transfer rumors, announcements ]

Although the Olympic soccer tournament doesn’t have the same importance of a World Cup, the Rio Games have a special meaning for the Brazilian striker. Neymar will be one of the games’ biggest stars and will carry the responsibility of leading the five-time world champions to their first soccer gold medal.

“It’s a unique opportunity,” he said. “Not only for me, but for everyone on the team. We know how important this medal is.”

All eyes will be on the 24-year-old striker, who opted to play in the Olympics instead of the Copa America earlier this year. Brazil was eliminated in the group stage of that tournament, a result that prompted the firing of coach Dunga.

Because it’s not an official FIFA tournament, teams are not required to release players for the Olympic tournament, but Neymar and the Brazilian soccer confederation negotiated with Barcelona so he could play in Rio.

“I know that this gold medal has eluded Brazil so far, and we will do everything to try to win it,” Neymar told Brazilian television recently. “It’s rare that a country like Brazil, considered the land of football, still hasn’t won this gold.”

[ MORE: Juventus’s big spending a sign Pogba is off to United? ]

It will be the second time Neymar will play for Brazil at the Olympics. He led the team that lost the 2012 final to Mexico in London, where the Brazilians were the heavy favorites. Brazil was runner-up twice before, in 1984 and 1988. It also won the bronze in 1996 and 2008, the last time with a squad that featured Ronaldinho and future stars like Marcelo and Thiago Silva.

“Neymar is special, one of the best players in the world,” said Rogerio Micale, who replaced Dunga as coach of the Olympic team. “Any team can benefit from a player like him. He will mean a lot to us. I think that he will be able to lead the youngsters in the squad.”

Neymar will be one of the three over-23 players each nation is allowed to add to its roster. The other two are 38-year-old Palmeiras goalkeeper Fernando Prass and 28-year-old Beijing Guoan midfielder Renato Augusto, who have far less international experience than Neymar.

No other player will attract as much attention – from fans, media and opposing teams – as Neymar.

“I’m honored to be in this team, because I know how difficult it is to win an Olympic medal in any sport,” he said. “With football it’s even more difficult because if you are not the champion, people see it differently.”

[ MORE: Mourinho puts four Man United players up for sale ]

Neymar is facing extra pressure after Dunga was fired for the second time from the national team. Without the experienced coach by his side, Neymar will carry the fate of the team, and the striker can become a national hero if he wins the gold, or join a long list of stars – Romario, Rivaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, among others – who have failed in the pursuit of the gold.

“I never run away from the responsibility. I’m used to it,” Neymar said. “We have another great opportunity to win an Olympic medal, and hopefully this time it will be the gold.”

Neymar also had a prominent role at the World Cup in Brazil two years ago, when he played up to expectations until breaking a bone in his back in the quarterfinals against Colombia and missing the rest of the tournament. Brazil eventually was eliminated after an embarrassing 7-1 loss to Germany in the semifinals.

“I don’t compare tournaments. I just like winning every tournament that I play,” Neymar said. “All of them are important for me. Each has its own history, its own characteristic, but they are all important.”

Brazil had a favorable draw and will face South Africa, Iraq and Denmark in Group A, making its debut Aug. 4 against South Africa in Brasilia. In the quarterfinals, the hosts could face Colombia or Nigeria, two youth powerhouses.

The final will be played Aug. 20 at Maracana Stadium in Rio.

soccer.nbcsports.com/2016/07/17/all-eyes-on-brazils-neymar-as-2016-rio-olympics-inch-closer/
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

There are 19 days to go as I write this thread...

Clearly there has been much less media attention on this than London 2012 but I'm sure as we get into August, the media will have it's eyes focused on Brazil.

This thread is to discuss anything on the final countdown and throughout the competitions.

The best of British to ourselves!

I agree with this, we can blame the euros and brexit for that.

This year's event might also be overshadowed by zika and civil unrest which have contributed to low ticket sales.

 

[Gathursty]

There are 19 days to go as I write this thread...

Clearly there has been much less media attention on this than London 2012 but I'm sure as we get into August, the media will have it's eyes focused on Brazil.

This thread is to discuss anything on the final countdown and throughout the competitions.

The best of British to ourselves!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I wonder how many of the athletes, having seen some of the numerous media coverage images that graphically show exactly what occurs to babies born to those whom the zika virus had affected, would have serious doubts about participating.

Sport, however media overblown with astronomical sums spent every four years by the successful bidder on the staging of the Olympic Games, will do all it possibly can to talk-down any possible danger from the zika virus.

Yet there has been precedent set by the two politically motivated country withdrawals from the Olympic Games in the 1980's should health matters of the athletes be a serious matter of consideration.

 

[Harbornite]

I wonder how many of the athletes, having seen some of the numerous media coverage images that graphically show exactly what occurs to babies born to those whom the zika virus had affected, would have serious doubts about participating.

Sport, however media overblown with astronomical sums spent every four years by the successful bidder on the staging of the Olympic Games, will do all it possibly can to talk-down any possible danger from the zika virus.

Yet there has been precedent set by the two politically motivated country withdrawals from the Olympic Games in the 1980's should health matters of the athletes be a serious matter of consideration.

It seems as though some athletes are refusing to participate due to zika, despite the efforts of the olympic authorities and Brazil.

Here’s a list of those who’ve taken themselves out of the running so far.

GOLFERS

1. Fijian Vijay Singh (Zika and scheduling)

2. Australian Adam Scott (scheduling)

3. South African Louis Oosthuizen (scheduling)

4. South African Charl Schwartzel (scheduling)

5. Australian Marc Leishman (Zika)

TENNIS PLAYERS

6. Australian Nick Kyrgios (believes the Australian Olympic Committee has treated him unfairly)

7. Austrian Dominic Thiem (didn’t want to give a reason)

8. American John Isner (scheduling)

9. Spanish player Feliciano Lopez (scheduling)

10. Australian Bernard Tomic (scheduling and “personal circumstances”)

It’s worth noting that these five players are all ranked within the top 25 in the world.

BASKETBALL PLAYERS

11. Steph Curry (recent knee and ankle injuries)

12. Chris Paul (general injuries)

13. Anthony Davis (recent knee surgery)

14. Blake Griffin (quad injury)

CYCLISTS

15. American Tejay van Garderen (Zika — his wife is pregnant)

MARATHONERS

16. Kenyan runner Wilson Kipsang (scheduling)

17. Dennis Kimetto (scheduling)

Who will drop out next?

ftw.usatoday.com/2016/06/17-athletes-not-going-to-rio-so-far-2016

 

[RyanB]

Sounds like the Russians have been practising systematic doping for several years now and the Government may well have have had a big hand in making sure doped Russian athletes got away with it.

Wouldn't surprise me if all Russian athletes were banned from competing in Rio, only being able to compete if proven to be clean and even then only under the Olympic flag rather than under the Russian.

 

[Harbornite]

Sounds like the Russians have been practising systematic doping for several years now and the Government may well have have had a big hand in making sure doped Russian athletes got away with it.

Wouldn't surprise me if all Russian athletes were banned from competing in Rio, only being able to compete if proven to be clean and even then only under the Olympic flag rather than under the Russian.

That should be considered. The Russians haven't proven themselves to be good sports, with the likes of Maria Sharapova and the football fans in France.

 

[Groningen]

Imagion; the Olympics in Russia and all Russians are banned!

 

[Harbornite]

Breaking news
A decision to ban Russian track and field athletes from Rio 2016 over the country's alleged state-sponsored doping regime has been upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Russia's athletics federation was suspended by the sport's world governing body, the IAAF, after an independent report found evidence of widespread doping.

The Russian Olympic Committee and 68 athletes appealed against that decision but after hearing evidence from both sides, Cas has ruled the ban can stand.

Separately, the International Olympic Committee is considering calls to ban all Russian competitors across all sports from the Olympic Games following a second report into state-sponsored doping.

"The Cas panel confirmed that the ROC is not entitled to nominate Russian track and field athletes to compete at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games considering that they are not eligible to participate under the IAAF competition rules," a spokesman said.

The IAAF said it was "pleased Cas has supported its position", saying the judgement had "created a level playing field for athletes".

IAAF president, Lord Coe, added: "This is not a day for triumphant statements. I didn't come into this sport to stop athletes from competing.

"Beyond Rio, the IAAF taskforce will continue to work with Russia to establish a clean safe environment for its athletes so that its federation and team can return to international recognition and competition."

The end of the road for Russia's athletes?

Despite the ban, the IAAF had previously said a handful of the country's athletes could compete in Rio as neutrals if they meet a number of criteria, including being repeatedly tested outside their homeland.

At least two Russian athletes - 800m runner Yuliya Stepanova and long jumper Darya Klishina - have already taken advantage of that decision and the Cas ruling has cleared the way for more to follow.

Cas said the ROC would still be able to nominate "Russian track and field athletes who fulfil the criteria" to compete as neutrals at the Games.

But a Cas spokesman added the panel had "expressed concerns" that the short timeframe "left no possibility for the athletes to comply with the criteria".

The Games begin on 5 August.

Why were Russian athletes banned?

Russia was suspended from global track and field events by the IAAF in November 2015.

That followed the publication of an independent World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) report that showed a culture of widespread, state-sponsored doping, with even the secret services involved.

The country's sports minister, Vitaly Mutko, has since apologised for the fact cheating athletes were not caught by Russia's anti-doping systems but stopped short of admitting the scandal had been state-sponsored.

However, another Wada-commissioned report delivered earlier this week - the McLaren report - contained more allegations and suggested senior figures in Russia's sports ministry were complicit in an organised doping cover-up, with secret service agents even involved in swapping positive urine samples for clean ones. It implicated the majority of Olympic sports in the cover-up.

Following that report, the International Olympic Committee faced calls to ban all Russian competitors from the Olympic Games. It held an emergency meeting on Tuesday but said it would wait for Thursday's judgement from Cas and look at all the legal option before announcing any sanctions.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/36855244

 

[47802]

I do think that there should be some proper attempt to debate about what sports are included, the more you include the most costly it becomes to host, and as many have pointed out before such as Golf and Tennis the Olympics isn't really the pinnacle of their sport, Jessica Ennis will be remembered for being an Olympic Champion, where as Andy Murray will be remembered for Winning Wimbledon and Grand Slams, not really for being Olympic Champion.

 

[Howardh]

I do think that there should be some proper attempt to debate about what sports are included, the more you include the most costly it becomes to host, and as many have pointed out before such as Golf and Tennis the Olympics isn't really the pinnacle of their sport, Jessica Ennis will be remembered for being an Olympic Champion, where as Andy Murray will be remembered for Winning Wimbledon and Grand Slams, not really for being Olympic Champion.

(Field) hockey was on the brink of being excluded - which I find completely bizarre. Golf and Tennis are there when they shouldn't be - is it a case of the sponsor's dollar?
Football shouldn't be there either, at least not men's.
Not sure...is Rugby 7's in? Certainly if Golf is there then Cricket has a case for 20/20 which is played to a good standard by 20-odd countries.

 

[Harbornite]

All the Trotskyites on this forum will be chuffed...

Russia will not receive a blanket ban from Rio 2016 following the country's doping scandal.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will leave it up to individual sports' governing bodies to decide if Russian competitors are clean and should be allowed to take part.

The decision follows a report in which Canadian law professor Richard McLaren said Russia operated a state-sponsored doping programme from 2011 to 2015.

The Rio Games start on 5 August.

Competitors from Russia who want to take part in the Games will have to meet strict criteria laid down by the IOC.

Any Russian who has served a doping ban will not be eligible for next month's Olympics. Track and field athletes have already been banned.

IOC president Thomas Bach said: "We have set the bar to the limit by establishing a number of very strict criteria which every Russian athlete will have to fulfil if he or she wants to participate in the Olympic Games Rio 2016.

"I think in this way, we have balanced on the one hand, the desire and need for collective responsibility versus the right to individual justice of every individual athlete."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/36878983

 

[Groningen]

Bach and Putin are best mates. Getting away with state organized doping.

 

[Harbornite]

Seven Russian swimmers have been banned from competing at the Rio Olympic Games by swimming's governing body Fina.

Those deemed ineligible for Rio include Yulia Efimova, a 200m bronze medallist in London, who had a provisional ban lifted by Fina last week.

It said the McLaren Report showed anti-doping rules were "not properly applied" by Russian authorities.

Fina will also now re-test all the samples collected from Russian swimmers at last year's World Championships.

As well as Efimova, Mikhail Dovgalyuk, Natalia Lovtcova, Anastasia Krapivina, Nikita Lobintsev, Vladimir Morozov and Daria Ustinova have all been declared ineligible for next month's Games.

Fina said it "acknowledges and supports" the International Olympic Committee's position on clean Russian athletes participating at Rio, but that any athlete who has already been sanctioned will not be declared eligible.

It added the "exact implication for the Russian Swimming Federation is still to be clarified" and an "ad hoc commission will have to investigate".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/36887787


Russian scum, when will they learn?

 

[bb21]

Imagion; the Olympics in Russia and all Russians are banned!

Careful.

2018 is just around the corner.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

It seems as though some athletes are refusing to participate due to zika, despite the efforts of the olympic authorities and Brazil.

6. Australian Nick Kyrgios (believes the Australian Olympic Committee has treated him unfairly)

ftw.usatoday.com/2016/06/17-athletes-not-going-to-rio-so-far-2016

More like he got called out on acting like a flog on court and chucked a tantrum over it.

 

[Harbornite]

I saw this the other day but couldn't share it due to my absense...

(CNN)If the nightmare of blocked toilets followed by a fire wasn't bad enough for the Australian athletes in the Rio Olympic village, to add insult to injury, they've also had property stolen during an evacuation of the team's building.

Australian Chef de Mission Kitty Chiller, who has had to deal with her team's discontent, said a laptop and Zika-protective team shirts had been stolen by people who entered the building during the evacuation.

Approximately 100 athletes were evacuated Friday after a small fire broke out in the basement car park of the Olympic Village apartments housing the Australian team.
Kitty Chiller the Australian Olympic Team Chef de Mission

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/08/01/sport/fire-thefts-olympic-village/

 

[J-2739]

Who else is staying up late to watch the opening ceremony?

 

[Harbornite]

Who else is staying up late to watch the opening ceremony?

I doubt I will. Somehow I think it won't be as good as London's.

 

[J-2739]

I doubt I will. Somehow I think it won't be as good as London's.

I share that thought too. I remember 2012, when the Olympics for London was broadcasted everywhere, practically crammed down your throat. Either that or the reaction to the zika virus...

 

[Harbornite]

I share that thought too. I remember 2012, when the Olympics for London was broadcasted everywhere, practically crammed down your throat. Either that or the reaction to the zika virus...

Not to mention the awful drinking water and poor preparations.

London was publicized more because we didn't have Euro 2016 or Brexit, and it was in our country rather than some overseas dump. The opening ceremony was very good and on at more sociable hours.

 

[J-2739]

Not to mention the awful drinking water and poor preparations.

London was publicized more because we didn't have Euro 2016 or Brexit, and it was in our country rather than some overseas dump. The opening ceremony was very good and on at more sociable hours.

I'll give the opening ceremony a shot, but for some reason, I don't feel as motivated to watch the Olympics this year. I even forgot the date of the opening ceremony until a few days ago! Like you've just said (or hinted), too much things has happened this year.

 

[kegdr]

I saw this the other day but couldn't share it due to my absense...



http://edition.cnn.com/2016/08/01/sport/fire-thefts-olympic-village/

On the subject of thefts, a photographer that I follow is covering the games for Team USA. He's already heard about over $60,000 worth of camera gear being stolen, and bags were apparently being taken from the photographer's area during the opening ceremony.

 

[Harbornite]

On the subject of thefts, a photographer that I follow is covering the games for Team USA. He's already heard about over $60,000 worth of camera gear being stolen, and bags were apparently being taken from the photographer's area during the opening ceremony.

That's awful. Not a good impression!

 

[J-2739]

On the subject of thefts, a photographer that I follow is covering the games for Team USA. He's already heard about over $60,000 worth of camera gear being stolen, and bags were apparently being taken from the photographer's area during the opening ceremony.

These are both really sad news.
However, we should not let a few mindless idiots like these get in front of what would be a big event. If we kept worrying ourselves sick on these news, we may not be enjoyed and even turn away from watching the big event. Now, don't get me wrong, I also empathise these victims of theft and hope something is done about those predators, but at the same time, we should just let and live and instead hope which would turn out into another great Olympic Games.

 

[Harbornite]

These are both really sad news.
However, we should not let a few mindless idiots like these get in front of what would be a big event. If we kept worrying ourselves sick on these news, we may not be enjoyed and even turn away from watching the big event. Now, don't get me wrong, I also empathise these victims of theft and hope something is done about those predators, but at the same time, we should just let and live and instead hope which would turn out into another great Olympic Games.

Apart from the bullets, queues and empty stadiums!

 

[J-2739]

Apart from the bullets, queues and empty stadiums!

Oh yeah, those along with people doping and that zika...

On a serious note, no matter the countries situation, at the end of the day it's another year of Olympics where people from all across the world take part in all sorts and in our situation, we should always be optimistic no matter what.

 

[Harbornite]

Oh yeah, those along with people doping and that zika...

On a serious note, no matter the countries situation, at the end of the day it's another year of Olympics where people from all across the world take part in all sorts and in our situation, we should always be optimistic no matter what.

That is true. Having said that, that French gymnast will have lost a lot of optimism when he broke his leg. Awful, just awful!

 

[J-2739]

That is true. Having said that, that French gymnast will have lost a lot of optimism when he broke his leg. Awful, just awful!

Oh dear! Maybe optimism is a bit dangerous to some...

Oh well, at least the Brits' optimism has paid off. Read below:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/olympics/2016/08/06/rio-olympics-2016-day-one---chris-froome-goes-for-gold-in-the-me/

In his first taste of the Olympics, world champion Adam Peaty yet again demonstrated that he is the man for the big occasion by smashing his own 100m breaststroke world record in a remarkable time of 57.55 seconds.

Astonishingly that was set in his heats when people are supposed to save something in the tank for the semi-finals, which will take place in the early hours of the Sunday morning. The 21-year-old from Uttoxeter showed scant regard for convention or indeed to his old world record of 57.93 seconds set last year in London. To lower a record by a margin 0.37 seconds in swimming is the equivalent of how Usain Bolt dipping under 9.6 seconds for the first time, yet there were no wild celebrations from Peaty in what was probably the greatest ever Olympic debut swim. Instead a mere thumbs up at a job well done was sufficient with a promise of more to come both in the semi-finals and the final.

“I was in the cool room and thought let’s give this a shot,” Peaty said. “As soon as I walked in, it is fight or flight and I chose to get something out of it. That’s what it is. You can either be shy of the arena or take advantage of it.”

The crowd at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium had already witnessed Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu come within a finger tip of a world record in the 400m individual medley so fast times were clearly in the offing. As soon as Peaty set off it was clear that something special was in the offing. Traditionally a slow starter from the blocks, Peaty’s reaction time of 0.55 seconds was one of the fastest in the afternoon heats. By the turn, he was well clear of the field including compatriot Ross Murdoch and was 0.35 seconds under world record pace. Sensing something special, the crowd found their voice to roar Peaty home.

“Going down that first 50m I knew I was fast and I knew I turned fast,” Peaty said. “But it was not until 25m to go the crowd started going off that I thought there’s no Brazilians in this race so they have got to be shouting for something. It is great and hopefully the semi-finals will be even faster.

“Hopefully tonight I am going to feel a lot better and feel a lot faster. Me and Mel (Marshall), my coach, are not going to get too complacent and are going to keep striving, keep pushing the boundaries and see where that gets us.

“That’s what Mel has mentored me to do. I have spoken to Beccy [Adlington] quite a few times about what the Olympics is like but no one can describe what it is like until you have been in there. I am absolutely amazed just to race against the best in the world.”

Assuming nothing untoward happens in the semi-finals then Peaty seems destined deliver the first gold medal by a British male swimmer since Adrian Moorhouse in 1988 tomorrow. No one came close to him. Japan’s Yasuhiro Koseki was second fastest in the heats in a time of 58.91 seconds. Effectively everyone else is fighting for second place, including Cameron van der Burgh, the current Olympic champion, who was way back on 59.35 seconds.

Peaty had promised as much. Speaking earlier this year, Peaty said: “I want to set a target that most people can’t even think of doing.” Only a brave man would doubt him. No one else has been under 58 seconds and Peaty now owns he five fastest times in this event. His mother, Caroline, had boarded her first ever flight to be in the stands for the occasion along with his father, Mark, and girlfriend, Anna, but has made a point of keeping communication to a minimum while he is in his “zone”.

Instead he will spend most of Sunday listening to his favourite grime artists – Jaykae, Skepta, Stormzy – and watching box sets of Two and a Half Men and Modern Family before it is time to get into race mode. After becoming the first British man in 40 years to win the 100m breaststroke at the World Championships in Kazan last year, Peaty is now on the trail of Moorhouse, although that was six years before he was born.

When asked in the build-up whether that conferred any extra weight on his shoulders, Peaty replied: “That’s irrelevant. What happened 28 years ago and hasn’t happened since is another reason for confidence.” Pressure, he has repeatedly said, is an artificial construct, an excuse for underperformance. Instead, Peaty only views opportunity: opportunity for personal glory but just as importantly to inspire a new generation to take up swimming.

“At the end of the day, I want to inspire thousands if not millions of kids out there to take up sport,” Peaty said. “It does not matter what country you are from. I did not have the best place when I was younger to take up sport and be the best in the world, but I have worked hard every single day and here I am in an Olympic Games. Hopefully those kids at home watching the Games will get a moment like I had four years ago to switch on and put the hard work into the next Olympics.”

 

[Harbornite]

One of the few pieces of good news, he's done well.

On another note, did you hear that an army bullet ended up in the media centre?

 

[J-2739]

One of the few pieces of good news, he's done well.

On another note, did you hear that an army bullet ended up in the media centre?

Really? Just now? I might have a read of it now...