Are these legitimate Olympic sports?

[ElvisL1ves]

@Knorf

Another thread full of specious definitions of what “sport,” “athleticism,” and “athletic ability” are.

I’m fond of a cartoon showing four old, bald guys with paunches out on the golf course - one guy says “It is a sport, therefore we are athletes.”

[treis]

@RickJay

If you follow that line of reasoning, gymnastics isn’t a sport, since I’d take Olympic hockey players (the kind played on ice, not the silly “Field” kind) over gymnasts in almost any other team sport. And, again, it still wouldn’t be a guaranteed thing.

At what point do you determine something’s got enough of the particular “Athleticism” you prefer to make it a sport?

I don’t think there’s any solid line in the sand. Certainly, “I’m a better athlete than these guys” puts it definitely in the “not sport” category for me.

[Xema]

@Knorf

Not everyone is going to agree what the sports in the Olympics should be, which is why there is a committee. You know: the International Olympic Committee, who undoubtedly has spent far more time contemplating these issues than any of you could possibly imagine.

They are contemplating other issues as well. An important one is how well a proposed sport appeals on television to women (who constitute the majority of viewers, for which advertisers are eager to pay).

This is definitely a significant threat to the “non-TV” sports such as sailing, shooting & fencing. It’s also why such things as rhythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming have been added.

[gonzomax]

I think sometimes they add sports that may be pleasing to watch on TV.