Wonder if anyone else saw the women's Fencing ... and the pathetic performance of the Canadian participant? Not her 'game' while fencing but her terrible behaviour towards her opponent when the match finished. Cripes! Makes me ashamed she's representing my Country!

Ah, but did you see the Greco-Roman Bulgar today? Threw his Bronze medal to the floor and stormed off the podium! Makes the Canadian girl look like Ma Theresa....

IMH Opinion, Medal should be stripped for this action and member disqualified from further competition.

I dont condone these actions but frankly hasnt the judging been a little off this set of games, I tried to watch boxing and wrestling (the only 2 sports I know how to score) and saw too many errors in the judging (on all sides) to make the games interresting. I had to turn the TV off I was so discusted with the way it was being done

Yes, particularly the boxing, I thought.

And although apparently it's the rule, it seem darn unfair in wrestling that if it's a "tie", the last person to score a point wins.

Cursing your opponent that won or throwing your Medal to the floor - either way, if they were kids they'd get their bottoms whupped! Huge, huge shame to both of them people who lack sportmanship or even, for that matter, basic courtesy.

Yet for every exception, we have seen a multitude of sportsmanlike behavior in the very best sense, and this makes these exceptions even more glaring.
Z

As has been said elsewhere, I tend to think that the juggernaut commercialism and huge money making opportunities for the medallists have contributed in no small way to much of the nastiness that has become evident within the "sports" (read blood-sports!)

Very rarely do we see athletes competing for the sake of excellence in their field and the joy of recogniton by their peers for the simple fact that "you are the best at what you do" - now, with drug testing, advertising recommendation careers, brand image promoting etc., etc., these things become the goals for which winning (by any means) is just a stepping stone to the glamour and wealth to be had. I'm probably cynical and perhaps disillusioned, but Ido feel that the true point of the Olympics, for champions to be chosen and recognised on their own merit, with all participants glad to at least be considered worthy of the games being the major "prize" seems to be pretty much supplanted by commercialism.

I understand that there is a book (trying to track it down) which has a great deal of facts, figures and information on the 'inside' story of the working, perks, manipulations etc of the whole Olympic Committee organisation - it would, I think, be an interesting read.

Having said all that, I still have to admire most of the contenders for some mighty performances and genuinely wish them well for their futures.

I agree completely!

And personally, if I were sponsoring one of those throwing hissy fits and showing extremely bad manners, I'd be withdrawing my support.

And with team GB right there in the mix.

Third place in the medal tables? Take out Phelps and we're there with you Yanks? Gord Blimey Mate!

Bring on London 2012..........

Still trying to track it - does anybody know of this publication?????? Please???

Hey, don't worry Mr. Quietmike.

Try 'ask jeeves.com', they know most things.......

Perhaps one of these are what you seek. I found these at Barnes and Noble

Inside the Olympics: A Behind-the-scenes Look at the Politics, the Scandals, and the Glory of the Games
by Richard W. Pound
ISBN-13: 9780470838709

Selling the Five Rings: The International Olympic Committee and the Rise of Olympic Commercialism
by Robert K. Barney, Scott G. Martyn, Stephen R. Wenn
ISBN-13: 9780874807134

Many thanks Boopme - these will probably give me what I want! Oh, and thanks Colonel -I like Mr. Jeeves - but haven't used him for a while, this may be the time.....


edited for spelling

This post has been edited by Quietmike: Aug 24 2008, 03:09 AM

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