# Which Sports Should be in the Olympics - but Aren't? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 19, 2004, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521 "2004-08-19T07:02:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/21 "2004-08-19T19:44:20Z")
> [@obfusciatrist](#): > > Golf (if it remained amateur, top-level international professional events already exist, and there is a usable amateur structure in place) Golf would be the perfect Olympic sport for professionals. It only takes a few days for a tournament, and it is an individual sport primarily (although you could have teams). It has great international stars, and just think of the nations that could potentially win the gold - USA Canada Fiji South Africa Australia Japan South Korea Argentina England Ireland Scotland Sweden Spain Germany Zimbabwe Denmark That’s just the men. Other countries with medal contenders would be: New Zealand Paraguay Wales France ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/22 "2004-08-19T19:50:28Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > Chain-saw jousting. You jest (I hope), but why not tilting? Sure, it’s a little dangerous, but it’s good clean wholesome medieval fun. And it would add a bit of class to the games. Then again, I shudder at the thought of American heraldry. That would just be ugly. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/23 "2004-08-19T19:56:33Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > You jest (I hope), but why not tilting? Sure, it’s a little dangerous, but it’s good clean wholesome medieval fun. And it would add a bit of class to the games. > > Then again, I shudder at the thought of American heraldry. That would just be ugly. They could probably rent the rights to the Captain America device… ---
**Author:** ![Elle\_Woods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bb73d2/32.png) [@Elle\_Woods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elle_Woods)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/24 "2004-08-19T21:50:12Z")
Roller skating, possibly even blading. It’s been around for longer than most people might think, and does have championships and associations. Since ice skating is a total winter event, have this one serve as its summer counterpart. Both men and women skate, and it is extremely similar to ice skating in the moves that can be done and its scoring. Plus, ice skating is a big draw during the winter Olympics. Why not capitalize on that for the summer games as well? If basketball and curling can be Olympic events, I certainly think roller skating should be too. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/25 "2004-08-19T22:36:42Z")
re: Golf. [You might see it in '08.](http://espn.go.com/oly/news/2001/0516/1200184.html) > [@](#): > > LAUSANNE, Switzerland – Tiger Woods could be playing for a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics. > > The World Amateur Golf Council, comprised of the USGA and the Royal & Ancient Golf Club, formally applied for golf to be included on the program for the Summer Games, the International Olympic Committee said Wednesday. > > Golf applied unsuccessfully to be included in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, and withdrew its petition for the 2004 Athens Games. It actually was an [Olympic event in 1904.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf_at_the_1904_Summer_Olympics) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/26 "2004-08-19T22:40:28Z")
Personally, I’m against golf at the Olympics, or any sport that has such a huge professional aspect it. It adds little to the Olympics (which is already bloated with events), and adds little to the sport. And I’m a HUGE golf fan, btw. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Cooper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@Agent\_Cooper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Cooper)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/27 "2004-08-19T23:45:38Z")
I think almost all of the sports in the X Games require talent on the level that Olympic games require. But I wouldn’t vote for making them Olympic. It would almost take something away from them. Should there only be One contest? Some of the Olympic sports seem downright simple after watching X Games. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/28 "2004-08-20T00:45:05Z")
It’s high time [kabbadi](http://www.rediff.com/sports/2000/aug/30india.htm) was included. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/29 "2004-08-20T00:53:51Z")
> [@Ms Boods](#): > > Food fights > Championship spitballing > Gang tagging (points for speed, originality, and choice of location) > > (admittedly, my schoolpeers were not into ‘traditional’ organised sport… 🙂 ) How about Red Rover? I could be an Olympic Red Roverist! ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/30 "2004-08-20T00:56:20Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Personally, I’m against golf at the Olympics, or any sport that has such a huge professional aspect it. It adds little to the Olympics (which is already bloated with events), and adds little to the sport. > > And I’m a HUGE golf fan, btw. I don’t see how the professional angle has any relevance any more. The way I see it, the inclusion of a sport should be because of a multi-continental recognition of the sport at the appropriate level (which baseball, and certain martial arts, would fall down on), and because the Olympic award should be capable of equal status with other awards in that discipline (ruling out football and tennis). And not for the first thread, I say _include Rugby Sevens!!!_… ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/31 "2004-08-20T01:05:50Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > How about Red Rover? I could be an Olympic Red Roverist! Actually, I don’t see why Bombardment and Capture the Flag haven’t been Olympic events for YEARS… ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/32 "2004-08-20T01:50:03Z")
**bordeland** said: > [@](#): > > I have seen eight-ball played professionally on television … what do you mean “no tour”? Do you mean it is only played in more or less ad hoc tournaments here and there? Unless things have changed since I stopped following professional pool, there is no professional ‘tour’, meaning an organized series of tournaments aimed at professionals with prize pools, played throughout the country or world. There are TONS of ad-hoc 8-ball tournaments. I’ve played in many. Even played in the Walmac world championships in Vegas one year. The BCA also has sanctioned 8-ball amateur tournaments, as well as 9-ball. But at the amateur levels, the game is a little more ‘fair’ because players aren’t necessarily good enough to take advantage of the situational differences. At the highest levels of the game, though, it’s often a foregone conclusion after the break who is going to win. If one player has his balls open, and the other player’s balls happened to stop in positions that tied them up with other balls, the first player has a huge advantage. 9-ball, on the other hand, has the players shooting at the same balls. This tends to even out the playing field a bit, although the break is still a big randomizing factor. That’s why I think straight pool is a superior game. The first player breaks safe, and the second player tries to either play safe or start a run. There is no luck involved. Snooker and one-pocket are the same. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/33 "2004-08-20T04:54:10Z")
Nude oil wrestling. And considering the way this Olympics has been marketed, we may actually get it. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/34 "2004-08-20T11:15:37Z")
Seriously, I vote for 43-man Squamish. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/35 "2004-08-20T11:16:00Z")
Psorts aren’t included because of their merits as sports. They’re included to satisfy the various television networks around the world that pay for broadcasting rights. And in turn, they want sports that satisfy the sponsors. I’m surprised that sailing is still am olympic sport, partly be´cause the sports has in itself been bloated with different classes, partly because it’s not television friendly. Also, If yuu check coverage in different countries, you’ll note big differences in programming. Baseball is not on the air here, nor is indoor cycling. I know that Denmark and (?) Holland (where’s the clog-mod?) are big on that sport, so it’s not surprising that Danish television broadcast a lot of it. If I’m not mistaken, poetry reading was part of Berlin '36. I haven’t found a cite, though. Frisbee is actually a sport (in its different incarnations) that might be suitable. Athletic, good for tv, and individual players to focus on. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/36 "2004-08-20T11:17:54Z")
And if spelling and typing were an olympic sport, I sure as hell wouldn’t enter. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/37 "2004-08-20T12:16:59Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > Seriously, I vote for 43-man Squamish. YES! YES! 43 Man Squamish ![A LINK to all 3 pages!](http://www.collectmad.com/madcoversite/index-quiz_olympics.html) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/38 "2004-08-20T12:44:04Z")
Quake 3 ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/39 "2004-08-20T12:46:11Z")
Rock Paper Scissors ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-sports-should-be-in-the-olympics-but-arent/260521/40 "2004-08-20T12:53:07Z")
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