# Worst Olympic Sports
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001
**Category:** The Game Room
**Created:** [July 31, 2012, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001 "2012-07-31T23:06:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 8
### Author:  [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/141 "2012-08-03T19:18:51Z")
Okay, okay, how about instead of “while smoking” we say “while holding a beer”.
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### Author:  [@fifty-six](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fifty-six)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/142 "2012-08-03T20:35:09Z")
> [@Colophon](#):
>
> But not as good as the [72-year-old](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Swahn) who won silver in the shooting in 1920.
[John Copley](http:// [John Copley (artist) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Copley_(artist)))
Britain’s John Copley, winner of a silver medal in the 1948 engravings and etchings competition, was 73 years of age, making him the oldest Olympic medallist in history.
I think tug-of-war should be brought back.
The only reason I approve of basketball is the hope the US team will be defeated by an amazing upset.
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### Author:  [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2012, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/143 "2012-08-03T20:36:11Z")
> [@Colophon](#):
>
> But not as good as the [72-year-old](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Swahn) who won silver in the shooting in 1920.
Reading that article, it looked like shooting at live deer was an Olympic event. But apparently not – just live pigeons.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2012, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/144 "2012-08-03T22:57:48Z")
You can’t do away with subjectively judged events without tossing the whole Olympics. Getting rid of them would mean dumping basketball, fencing, water polo, judo, and just about everything else.
Now getting rid of the equestrian events makes sense. It’s the horse doing all the work.
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### Author:  [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2012, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/145 "2012-08-04T00:03:28Z")
> [@Omniscient](#):
>
> I think the horse sports are the worst by a wide margin. That said, boxing is so corrupt and unwatchable it’d probably be the first sport I’d axe if I were the sports czar. I haven’t watched a Olympic boxing match since the Roy Jones robbery in 1988, things surprising have actually gotten worse since then.
>
> I’ll note that I _loved_ watching water polo this week. This is a sport that is surprisingly telegenic and seems like it could stand a chance of drawing viewers on the regular basis. I understand it’s somewhat popular in Eastern Europe. For the most part team sports can be a bit dull due to the extended qualifying rounds and relative lack of intensity/drama but water polo somehow works. Perhaps the shortness of the matches helps it.
>
> I used to hate gymnastics since it was judged and seemed awfully corrupt/corruptible, but the new scoring system (maybe helped by improved commentary) strikes me as far less random and unpredictable than it used to be a less so than ice skating currently. The men’s needs a kick start though, those events are pretty tired.
I used to like watching Water Polo but there are just too many whistles. The refs seem to be constantly calling out players who are supposedly fouling other players. I say, “let’em play” (short of drownings).
Speaking of drowning, my Hungarian friend told me that during the 1956 Water Polo match between the Soviets and Hungary, at one point the refs had to jump into the pool to break up a fight. Apparently two Soviets were attempting to drown one of the star players from Hungary,
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### Author:  [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2012, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/146 "2012-08-04T06:25:50Z")
That’s a pretty famous match–the Blood in the Water match after the Soviets brutally put down the Hungarian revolt.
And just think of how many whistles there would be if we gave a ref access to an underwater camera.
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### Author:  [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2012, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/147 "2012-08-04T23:59:22Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#):
>
> Anything subjectively judged is below anything not subjectively judged.
I agree completely.
People will point out that ice skaters are better athletes than curlers. That is absolutely true. Some superb curlers are in lousy shape and most are not in top shape. Skating is supremely athletic. But the results are known beforehand and the whole thing is a fake. Then you synchronized swimming and the like. I once heard an olympic synchronized swimmer explain that getting your smile is the most important thing. I now call it synchronized smiling.
Track and field are true sports, but the influx of drugs has made them less interesting. And I am less than fully engaged by sports whose outcome can be grossly affected by the referees. Basketball, anyone? Soccer? Baseball?
You see a referee even appear in maybe one curling match in ten and I have never seen a decision that the players (on both sides) didn’t agree on. There are occasional measurements but the measuring instrument is accurate to about .1 mm and is purely objective (twice I have seen, “unable to decide”, usually after three or four tries, but the rule in such cases is clear. You have to beat the other stone to score.
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### Author:  [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2012, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/148 "2012-08-05T00:03:06Z")
> [@minlokwat](#):
>
> Rhythmic gymnasitcs a.k.a. the curling of the summer games.
You have no soul. Curling is really interesting and there is a lot going on. And, above all, not judged, but a true compeition.
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### Author:  [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/149 "2012-08-05T00:06:43Z")
> [@Terr](#):
>
> +1. Curling is my favorite sport. The only way to get it here on TV is every four years during Winter Olympics.
Up here in the frozen north, we get to see about 100 games a year and even more during the Olympic years. The finest curling of all are the playdowns to choose the Olympic team. Now weak teams in that event, since they had to win an important event to qualify.
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### Author:  [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2012, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/150 "2012-08-05T01:58:32Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#):
>
> I agree completely.
>
> People will point out that ice skaters are better athletes than curlers. That is absolutely true. Some superb curlers are in lousy shape and most are not in top shape. Skating is supremely athletic. But the results are known beforehand and the whole thing is a fake. Then you synchronized swimming and the like. I once heard an olympic synchronized swimmer explain that getting your smile is the most important thing. I now call it synchronized smiling.
>
> Track and field are true sports, but the influx of drugs has made them less interesting. And I am less than fully engaged by sports whose outcome can be grossly affected by the referees. Basketball, anyone? Soccer? Baseball?
>
> You see a referee even appear in maybe one curling match in ten and I have never seen a decision that the players (on both sides) didn’t agree on. There are occasional measurements but the measuring instrument is accurate to about .1 mm and is purely objective (twice I have seen, “unable to decide”, usually after three or four tries, but the rule in such cases is clear. You have to beat the other stone to score.
Well said. As far as I’m aware, curling has managed to distance itself from the sorts of scandals that are so commonplace in other sports these days.
Drambuie is not a performance enhancer, is it?
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2012, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/151 "2012-08-05T02:05:45Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#):
>
> Well said. As far as I’m aware, curling has managed to distance itself from the sorts of scandals that are so commonplace in other sports these days.
>
> Drambuie is not a performance enhancer, is it?
For the spectators, it is.
d&r
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### Author:  [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2012, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/152 "2012-08-05T02:45:58Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#):
>
> Speaking of drowning, my Hungarian friend told me that during the 1956 Water Polo match between the Soviets and Hungary, at one point the refs had to jump into the pool to break up a fight. Apparently two Soviets were attempting to drown one of the star players from Hungary,
When it comes to a. water sports or b. horse events, you do _not_ wanna mess with the Magyars. I’d think in a sport _combining_ water and horse events they would be damn near invincible.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2012, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/153 "2012-08-05T03:05:28Z")
If it involves officials, it’s subjective.
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### Author:  [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/154 "2012-08-05T04:11:05Z")
Football - I love it, but no one really cares about the result (except Brazil who’s never won it)
Tennis - It’s like a fake major
Basketball
A couple of the swimming events, especially anything 50m.
Horse events don’t fell very “olympicy” too me. They are real sports, though.
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### Author:  [@phxjcc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phxjcc)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/155 "2012-08-05T04:11:56Z")
Equestrian - ok, maybe; but Muffy and Chip need something to do with their time.
Beach Volleyball - actually I am ok with BVB, but any “sport” that has a DJ as part of the event needs to dial that crap back for the Olympics. Too much woo-woo for me.
But my nominee is this POS that I saw the other night in late night…cyclists following a motorcycle and rules that say that they cannot go faster than the motorcycle is NOT sport, this is just made up crap to get people to wager.
Keirin
Wiki article: [Keirin - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keirin)
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### Author:  [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2012, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/156 "2012-08-05T23:59:51Z")
Agree that the Keirin really has no place at the Olympics, given the pressure being applied to track cycling events. The 4K pursuit was cut for London which is akin to ditching the 1500 m from the track schedule, unbelievable. The kilo went at Beijing, so that’s two absolutely classic cycling events replaced with silly bollox like the omnium and the Keirin.
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### Author:  [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)
#### Post date: [August 6, 2012, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/157 "2012-08-06T01:36:22Z")
> [@silenus](#):
>
> If it involves officials, it’s subjective.
I realized something today: I don’t give a crap who wins. I don’t give a crap about the scores. And although I appreciate the enjoyment these athletes are giving me, I don’t give a crap about their life stories, their struggles, their triumphs. I want to see people do entertaining flips is all.
So the subjectivity thing does nothing for me. Once I have my fill of people tumbling around, I can wander away from the games, with absolutely no sense of tension. Worry about whether judging is subjective? It wouldn’t even occur to me.
It sounds like this is totally different from how other folks watch the Olympics, though.
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### Author:  [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)
#### Post date: [August 6, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/158 "2012-08-06T03:42:42Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#):
>
> I would nominate any sport where winning an Olympic Gold is not the Most important achievement in the sport.
>
> So Basketball is out. NBA Championship is better.
> as is Soccer. World Cup is better.
> Tennis: Any Grand Slam is better
>
> And next time in Brazil we have Olympic Golf. (And a tempest brewing in the course design). Not needed.
>
> Certainly these sports are not as bad as Sync Diving, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Trampoline Jumping but at least the Olympics is what everyone strives for in these sports.
But the NBA is not a competition of national teams. Basketball is still too American, but eventually it should be more like ice hockey. The Stanley Cup is great, but the Olympic tournament offers a lot that the NHL can’t (and vice-versa). Look up the _New York Times_ article that compares them. Basketball isn’t quite there, but it is moving that way.
Conversely, Olympic association football just has nothing on the World Cup.
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### Author:  [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)
#### Post date: [August 6, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/159 "2012-08-06T03:48:18Z")
> [@silenus](#):
>
> If it involves officials, it’s subjective.
Is there a sport without officials?
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### Author:  [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)
#### Post date: [August 6, 2012, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-olympic-sports/630001/160 "2012-08-06T03:50:29Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#):
>
> So the subjectivity thing does nothing for me. Once I have my fill of people tumbling around, I can wander away from the games, with absolutely no sense of tension. Worry about whether judging is subjective? It wouldn’t even occur to me.
I’m pretty much the same way. I don’t really get off on the whole “peak human performance” thing. If you think hard enough, every competition is going to have aspects that are arbitrary. Even in a sprint, you may run slightly differently depending on who you are running next to. Nothing is “pure”, so it might as well be entertaining.
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