By Pippinu -
July 24th 2008 @ 9:08am
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The Beijing Olympics: wake me when it’s over
I’m not the least bit excited about the Olympics. Is it because of the preponderance of absurd sports and pursuits about which ordinarily no one gives a damn?
Is it that, apart from athletics, it has the sniff of wealthy whites beating up on the rest of the world?
Is it because Australia would bother with the zippy suit when its only competition in the pool is the US?
Is it because the war on drugs reminds one of the war on terror?
Is it because it no longer rates as an event for true sports lovers?
Is it because millions of taxpayers’ money gets wasted on preparing “athletes” for events that normally we wouldn’t frequent even if they were for free?
Is it all of the above?
At the risk of labouring the point, allow me to focus on a handful of Olympic events that pretty much explain the boredom factor:
Archery
There is one positive to archery, and that is that like lawn bowls in the Commonwealth games, no matter what one’s age and general athletic ineptitude, it provides us with hope that we may yet represent our country at something half meaningful. The main problem with archery is that it is half meaningful and about as spectator-friendly as shooting, yachting, fencing and modern pentathlon (the latter looking decidedly 19th century).
Badminton
There should be a blanket ban on events that remind one of the immediate aftermath of a childhood Christmas. Add to this category totem tennis, table tennis, backyard cricket, Hookie and beach volleyball.
Synchronised Swimming
Now I like looking at women with lots of make up prancing around in swimsuits as much as the next bloke, but I draw the line at watching them shoot out of the water with the sort of gruesome grins that one associates with Boris Karloff. Add to that that I simply detest any event requiring marking by judges, which accounts for over half of the Olympic games.
Greco-Roman Wrestling
Being of Sicilian descent, I consider myself to be the archetypal Greco-Roman. Hell, I’d even put a busted up column in my backyard if I could find one. But I’m also a big fan of leaving things in their correct millennium (although a return to having athletes compete in the nude would be a welcome development).
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(51)
Spiro Zavos said | July 24th 2008 @ 9:21am | Report comment
Pippinu makes a very valid point in this Roar of the Crowd. Synchronised swimming came into the Los Angeles Olympics as a sort of gift to Esther Williams, a star who was big in water movies which featured synchronised swimming. Most of the action takes place below the water and the swimmers have pegs on their noses – in my opinion, more as a sign of the merit of the ’sport’ rather than to help them survive in the under-water part of their routine.
The modern pentathlon is another meaningless sport. It is supposed to feature a day in the life of a cavalry officer in the 19th century. Someone should tell the IOC we are now in the 21st century.
Redb said | July 24th 2008 @ 10:39am | Report comment
Pippu,
Good article. Good to hear from you.
Apart from the velodrome cycling the Olympics holds little interest.
Redb
Rabbitz said | July 24th 2008 @ 11:07am | Report comment
Well now this is an interesting comment. I believe that the Olympics is over-rated and over bloated as a spectacle. Will I watch it? Probably not as I detest watching swimming and athletics. As these two make up 90% of the broadcasts it doesn’t leave much to watch.
Another thought that struck me is the way certain sports were dismissed in the article and comments, frankly I would like swimming, athletics and velodrome riding removed as they are so tedious. I do like to watch the Archery and the Shooting (having been a competitor in both over the years). I guess one man’s meat is another man’s poison!!
Dump the lot, that way we avoid the whole argument.
Pippinu said | July 24th 2008 @ 11:22am | Report comment
Spiro, Redb and Rabbitz – thanks very much for your thoughtful comments.
The thing about the athletics part of the programme is that a wide range of countries are able to compete on an almost level-playing field – something that can’t be said of swimming, cycling, triathlon, sailing, gymnastics etc. (although, I have to admit I don’t mind the cat and mouse plays of some of the velodrome events).
But re being a spectator at the archery and shooting – I can’t help thinking you might be in a minority there Rabbitz!!
Speaking of which, I wonder if my mum has kept that archery kit she bought for me one christmas decades ago – I might make the Olympics yet!
Slippery Jim said | July 24th 2008 @ 11:25am | Report comment
You’re right, Pippinu, we should lobby to introduce totem tennis and hookey to the games. I’m not sure nudity would enhance the viewing pleasures of, say, the russian womens hurling event, however.
Many of the sports like archery and fencing strike me as a lot more fun to actually perform in than they are to watch…great article, ny the way, and I hope it is the first of many.
Redb said | July 24th 2008 @ 11:31am | Report comment
Pippu,
Actually a day at the track and field is not bad value for money. Having attended both the Sydney olympics and Melb Comm games, the track and field always provided something of interest with great variety as the field events are often conducted whilst athletes raced around the track. I guess TV struggles with this multiple sports action though. javelin, hammer throw can be quite spectacular live.
Redb
Rabbitz said | July 24th 2008 @ 11:37am | Report comment
Pippinu,
I agree that watching Archery and Shooting, may to some seem boring, but there is the the point. I don’t. I find that the few seconds of interesting bits in swimming vs the hours of coverage is boring. I realise that some like it. Incidentally, attendances at shooting World Cups (especially in Europe) are quite well attended.
As for level playing fields and athletics I don’t really believe that Equatorial Guinea is on a level field with say the USA or China.
If the whole olympic sports carnival vanished I wouldn’t actually lose any sleep. (I guess that makes me un-Australian!) Despite having (unfounded) aspirations at one time.
Pippinu said | July 24th 2008 @ 11:43am | Report comment
Redb
I saw a day of track and field when Canberra hosted the Athletics World Championships back in 1985 and I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I too was attracted to the variety of stuff happening.
I also recall watching the East German women’s relay team smash the world record. I know that they have since been discredited many times over – but to witness their technique and smooth action that day, like clockwork, was one of the sporting highlights of my life (in complete contrast to the balls up we saw in the Australian women’s relay team some years ago when they failed to make the first baton change).
Rabbitz
certainly with you regarding the Olympics as a whole.
Towser said | July 24th 2008 @ 11:59am | Report comment
What suprises me after 40 years in Australia, is that you are always under an impression from the media(print or electronic) that all Australians pump out their chest when the Olympics are on (regardless of the event)as a chance for the Aussie battler sports hero to shove it to the world.
This article and responding posts seem to contradict this view.
This article to me asks the question to what extent is the Australian public lead by the media as to what is relevant to Australia & Australians.
jimbo said | July 24th 2008 @ 12:15pm | Report comment
Yes, every time the Olympics come around I don’t get too excited and don’t plan to watch any of it.
But then when it was in Sydney you just had to go along and watch something and the anticipated Cathy Freeman race and watch the football final, even the football playoff for third place on TV . . .
. . . then there was the hockeyroos gold medal game in Athens and . . .
Yeah, I’m going to avoid the Beijing Olympics as I always do, unless something interesting is on.
I can’t help myself, I’m just an addicted sports junkie.
ohtani's jacket said | July 24th 2008 @ 12:41pm | Report comment
I dunno.
I’m living in Japan right now, where Judo and Wrestling are major Olympic Sports.
Those sports happen to appeal to me, but even if them didn’t, I could still see the merit in them. Every sport has a fanbase and countries where the sport is prominent. Australians and New Zealand ought to know that better than most, since the world doesn’t care about our national sports.
At the end of the day, sports is about human drama and I can get into any Olympic event if it has a compelling narrative. There’s a few events I wouldn’t bother with, but I enjoy watching sports I otherwise wouldn’t see. Like fencing.
Pippinu said | July 24th 2008 @ 12:56pm | Report comment
Towser
It’s an interesting thought isn’t it? There’s no doubting that the bulk of the interest in the Olympics, from an Australian perspective, is watching Australians do well. Now, if we had continued producing medal results similar to Montreal in 1976 – the lack of chest pumping would have manifested itself in a considerable drop in the Olympic games generally.
Jimbo and Ohtani
Those of us not overly excited in the Olympics will still find something to latch onto – and there’s no doubting that it could come from an unexpected source.
It’s also true that the Olympics became an unwieldly mess a while back, with some sports being included for quite dubious reasons (political lobbying, revenue raising, etc) and there no longer appears to be any rhyme or reason to any of it.
In the Australian context, I detest the amount of taxpayers’ money that goes into supporting various sports in which we are unlikely to ever do well and which appears to have no lasting impact on Australian society in terms of well being. A classic example is gymnastics. An absolute fortune is spent on making these girls quasi-competitive, they are never going to get anywhere near a medal, they’re careers are over by the time they’re 16, and one is left asking: what’s the point?
Towser said | July 24th 2008 @ 1:04pm | Report comment
And that Pippinu(what you said in reply to me) is the bottom line.
Slippery Jim said | July 24th 2008 @ 1:27pm | Report comment
“An absolute fortune is spent on making these girls quasi-competitive, they are never going to get anywhere near a medal, they’re careers are over by the time they’re 16, and one is left asking: what’s the point?”
We’re never going to get anywhere near a world cup win either, but I’m sure you wouldn’t apply the same logic to the Socceroos efforts…
Pippinu said | July 24th 2008 @ 1:42pm | Report comment
Slippery Jim
We might get near one!
I would hope that in the very near future the Socceroos will be completely self-financed and not rely on Government hand-outs at all.
Towser said | July 24th 2008 @ 1:43pm | Report comment
Slippery Jim
I have seen the vision in a dream.
John Howard throwing his zimmer frame away & leaping into the air.
Or is that when the Liberals realise Brendan Nelson is a dud?
executive.koala said | July 24th 2008 @ 2:00pm | Report comment
Sometimes I think FIFA should remove the Football Tournament from the Olympics and run its own under 23 World Cup without this over age player crap. Also, it would be funny to see the Olympics TV ratings status sink to the level of the Rugby World Cup as a result.
Davo said | July 24th 2008 @ 2:08pm | Report comment
A female Australian gymnast or team will will an Olympic medal before the Socceroos make a World Cup semi. Badminton may not appeal to many Australians as we are raised on tennis but it appeals to the Chinese, Indonesians and others so is relevant to a decent % of the worlds population. The whole point of the Olympics is it’s a global event, so whilst we Aussies dismiss taekwondo, greco roman wrestling and handball, I’m sure there are plenty of countries the look at sports such as shooting, hockey and water polo where we have strong chances and shake thier heads.
Cant agree at all that Olympics is an exercise in white superiority just because archery, fencing, equestrian and pentathlon are still there. Most of the world’s best archers are Korean. There are plenty of examples ( boxing, athletics, soccer, baseball, weightlifting ) where the medal spread could be very international.
I guess I;m just not a cynic – For me it’s still the number one sporting event – the width and breadth of sports where you have people who have decdicated their lives for not much more than a moment of glory, giving their all to try and attain that glory. You just need not to allow cynicism and the IOC’s cronies to get in the way of the enoyment of the sport.
Pippinu said | July 24th 2008 @ 2:13pm | Report comment
I think it’s fair to say that the Olympics need football more than football needs the Olympics. FIFA is happy to stay in it as long as their other product is not jeopardised in any way. There may come a time when the Olympic brand is no longer worth the trouble, and FIFA may well decide that its better off pulling out and doing its own thing.
Slippery Jim said | July 24th 2008 @ 2:14pm | Report comment
“You just need not to allow cynicism…to get in the way of the enoyment of the sport.”
Good point Davo, if we did, football fans would never watch a FIFA-sponsored event due to rampant FIFA corruption.
Pippinu said | July 24th 2008 @ 2:32pm | Report comment
Davo
You make good points.
There’s no doubting that certain sports have made it onto the program because of their appeal in the North American and European markets – but fair enough, China and India may end up exercising an even greater pull back their way in terms of what does and doesn’t get the nod. But that’s part of my beef – why some sports do get the not over others – there is no rhyme or reason. One would think that sports such as rugby and cricket have as much right to be there as handball and baseball – and that list could go on and on. What precisely is the Olympics about? What does it stand for? What does the football gold medal, with its concoction of criteria, represent in the pantheon of the World game?
Talking of the medal spread – this is what I reckon – of the top 15 nations, we’ll find China, the US, Canada, Australia and ten of the remaining 11 will be European. Japan or Korea might be lucky to sneak into the top 15. In truth this is not vastly different from the spread we may have witnessed 20 to 24 years ago.
Regarding dedicating one’s life to something – that doesn’t cut any ice with me – people dedicate their lives to all sorts of pursuits – the vast bulk have zero expectation that they will go to the Olympics. So to listen to people prattle on about their expectation that the taxpayer should send them to the Olympics just because they have dedicated their life to something gets tiresome. Even more tiresome are the endless appeals to team selection that occur every four years.
I recall that there was a three year period when I was undefeated playing sjoelbak, playing every night for hours on end, at no stage did I have an expectation that anyone would pay for me to go to the Olympics to represent Australia at sjoelbak. Think of our wasted youth playing such examplary games as pool, pinball, table soccer and table hockey – we did it for the pure joy of the game!! Without those games, I wouldn’t be where I am right now!!
True Tah said | July 24th 2008 @ 2:46pm | Report comment
Pippinu,
there has been talk of rugby being included in Olympics before, but thankfully this talk came to naught.
Some of the sports are debatable, but ideally winning a gold medal should be the pinnacle of that sport. On that basis, sport such as soccer, tennis, basketball and baseball would be excluded.
I do think the Olympics would keep going without soccer. I guess one of the attractions re the Olympics is that there are many differant sports you can follow, well in Australia we all got involved in all sports. From the comments I am seeing, it seems that in countries where soccer is the only sport followed, the people of that country only pay lip services to other sports in the Olympics – would that be a fair comment?
In which case, should the IOC award Olympics to countries where a variety of sports are likely to attract attention, and not ones where soccer is the extent of the local sporting scene?
Pippinu said | July 24th 2008 @ 2:51pm | Report comment
True Tah
To limit the Olympic games in scope to those sports for which it is the pinnacle makes good sense to me, and perhaps 40 years ago that might have been very close to the reality.
But in the meantime, virtually everything now has some sort of world cup or world championship, and I’m wondering whether there’s anything left for which the Olympics is the absolute pinnacle?
At the end of the day, this may well be at the heart of my gripe.
Koala Bear said | July 24th 2008 @ 2:59pm | Report comment
Pippinu,
I see you are in the red corner and a ROAR columnist as it seems, but no mug shot .. We have had our disagreements in the past, but I would dearly love to see what you look like..
~~~~~~~~~
KB
Pippinu said | July 24th 2008 @ 3:03pm | Report comment
KB
I honestly would never have considered any of our previous robust discussions anything more than that.
As you can see, this is my very first venture in the Roar, I only signed up last night, and sent this article in off the cuff late last night.
As to photos – I loaded up the striking US Palermo logo instead.
ohtani's jacket said | July 24th 2008 @ 3:18pm | Report comment
I think you’ll find that the Olympic gold medal is still the pinnacle for most of the sports, despite yearly world championships and other high profile events. You can be a multiple time world champion in a lot of these sports and still have a blight on your career if you’ve never won the gold.
With all due respect, I don’t understand the gripes about sports you don’t follow.
Pippinu said | July 24th 2008 @ 3:26pm | Report comment
Ohtani
the point remains that what is and isn’t included in the program is all over the shop – and it caters to a whole range of exigencies that rarely relate to whether the particular sport treats the Olympics as the pinnacle.
I would put it to you that for many of the team sports on the program, it has become ambiguous as to whether the Olympic gold is more valuable than a world championship.
Now people might turn around and say: if such ambiguity exists, so what?
And I would respond: precisely!
Michael C said | July 24th 2008 @ 3:46pm | Report comment
I’d like to see the Olympics free of super scientific swim suits – - – unless everyone has them.
I’d like to see all the cyclists on the same model bike,
but, in reality, why should I worry about the inequitity at the event itself,
we know that training and preparation creates huge inequitities,
so……since you can’t get all too serious about any of it………why not just enjoy the theatre that is the olympics.
md said | July 24th 2008 @ 3:48pm | Report comment
Pippinu,
I am astounded that you would deprive me of my opportunity to become an expert in so much of the pointless and mundane that is the heart and soul of the Olympics.
By the end of the olympics, I will be able to distinguish, to within .1 of a point the difference between a good dive and a bad dive (currently my expertise in this field is limited to football matches against asian nations), a good floor routine and an average one (again my expertise is presently limited to football matches against asian nations – usually when they are 1:0 up), a perfect syncronised swilling routine and a poor one (not to mention commenting on the British team’s awful teeth).
These are all rare and dare I say it, golden moments that we as sports lovers should collectively treasure.
Cheers
md.
Pippinu said | July 24th 2008 @ 3:57pm | Report comment
Michael C and md
about time you blokes showed up!
Towser said | July 24th 2008 @ 4:05pm | Report comment
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_national_football_team
True Tah
Cant speak for other countries but I can speak for the United Kingdom.
They are not interested in the Olympic football tournament because they are not in it. See above link for reasons.
I think its a bit of a myth that traditional football countries are myopic & are only interested in football at the Olympics.
They would in my opinion have more a lukewarm approach in comparison to Australia to the games overall but they would not be glued to “Football only”. I say this because it appears to me from crowd figures at lower age football that Europeans in particular(because they have a saturation of quality matches) are only really interested in their National Senior team,so I doubt anyway that Olympic football would be high on their list of football priorities.
jimbo said | July 24th 2008 @ 4:16pm | Report comment
md,
I also found out that water polo has a 30 second shot clock thanks to a water polo Olympian being interviewed on ABC radio.
What could you do with a ball in a pool in 30 seconds?
Last time I played water polo, my horse drowned
Davo said | July 24th 2008 @ 4:18pm | Report comment
There is no doubt the collection of sports currently making up the Olympics, especially team sports is somewhat motley. I am dead against golf and rugby sevens going into the Olympics but they probably have as much right as some other sports. Now that soccer’s there I am happy to watch it and you can guarantee any nation with a team in it will follow it passionately. But as someone else wrote, the Olympics is a theatre to be enjoyed and we can debate whether or not certain “cast members” should be there but the sports roster has obviously evolved over time to where it is in 2008 with much bickering and backroom deals. BMX, the participation of the USA Dream Team, synchro swimming et al can be debated as to whether they should be there or not but it all adds character to each Games.
For many womens sports the Games appear to still be the pinnacle more so than the mens. Probably as the pro money isnt their to the same degree….I reckon Lauren jackson would take a gold to a WNBA title anyday. I’m no soccer expert but I wonder if Marta and the Brazilians would value an Olympic gold ahead of the women’s world cup ??
Pippinu said | July 24th 2008 @ 4:23pm | Report comment
Dave
I think you’re spot on about both Lauren Jackson and Marta.
Jimbo
That joke is as old as the hills but I still laughed out loud – perhaps it was your deadpan delivery.
Slippery Jim said | July 24th 2008 @ 4:36pm | Report comment
jimbo, I also laughed out loud as we say on the internet. I’m not sure how you managed a deadpan delivery via text, perhaps it was the choice not to use
but whatever it was, it worked. Kudos.
Pippinu said | July 24th 2008 @ 4:50pm | Report comment
Yes – that Jimbo could manage a deadpan delivery with plain text is perhaps the funniest part!
Captain Carnage said | July 24th 2008 @ 5:01pm | Report comment
Whether these sports are confusing, boring, pompous, self-indulgent, semi-professional or all of the above…they sure are fun for the average Aussie sportsfan to blog about!
jimbo said | July 24th 2008 @ 5:09pm | Report comment
Thanks guys,
I keep the deadpan under the bed just in case I get the urge in the middle of the night.
Slippery Jim said | July 24th 2008 @ 5:11pm | Report comment
The man is on a roll!
md said | July 24th 2008 @ 5:21pm | Report comment
Jimbo – really? Well – whatever turns you on I suppose.
Cheers
md
Pippinu said | July 24th 2008 @ 5:26pm | Report comment
Captain Carnage
heh, heh – grist to the proverbial mill!!
Michael C said | July 24th 2008 @ 5:38pm | Report comment
ONe important factor about the Olympics – -
you really are in it for your country – -
and, because all the sports are on show together, and you are part of the broader ‘olympic team’,
well, that means that all of a sudden, the shot putter, the rifleman and Lauren Jackson are ‘team mates’, and contributing to the same medal tally.
That’s what makes the olympics special, and that’s what gives people that national joyous exposure OUTSIDE of their regular fan base – - and that’s why high profile gold medals are super important, which is why we remember the frustrations and joys of the Kookaburras at the Olympics well ahead of at the World Champs,
and why Jana, despite being World Champ, the Olympics were the ‘goal’ – - – - the world champs by comparison, is really just individuals who happen to be ‘Australian’…..a bit like expat Australian soccer players overseas – - – they really are of no consequence unless they might play for the Socceroos….otherwise….they’re just more ‘global’ professionals doing their thing.
Millster said | July 24th 2008 @ 6:08pm | Report comment
Oh wait a sec MC…
You are presuming that people are distanced enough from particular sports to only think that the pinnacle is national representation. If you look closer its often different.
I’m as or more proud of Aussie footballers who are REALLY cutting it in a UCL game than in a Socceroo international.
I’m as or more proud of Cadel Evans in Silence-Lotto colours tearing up the Alps as I would be of him in a ‘national’ rep race.
I’m far more proud of Bogut doing his thing in the NBA each week than in the Boomers.
Probably overstating my point but there is something about an Aussie representing at the truly highest level – even if that highest level happens to be a commercial team or a club.
I’m thinking the Davis Cup is probably the only partial exception to this rule for me, but I think maybe unfairly as I have fallen for its jingoistic appeal and in reality should look to the Grand Slams alone for that pride in the sport of tennis.
ohtani's jacket said | July 24th 2008 @ 7:04pm | Report comment
I’m not a big fan of professionals competing at the Olympics, and I think the 1992 Dream Team set a bad precedent in that regard, but considering how many NBA players jump straight out of high school or leave college early, I think professional sports have played their part in eroding the honour of representing your country.
Of course the NBA also opened the gates to foreign players whose national teams keep knocking off the US in the World Championships and Olympics, so I guess professionalism works both ways.
And then there’s the fact that Americans don’t take international team sports seriously anyway, since they either clash with regular seasons or interrupt off seasons.
I also think there should be respect for team sports that haven’t lost their sense of tradition at the Olympics, like ice hockey, where all the countries take it seriously.
Phil Coorey said | July 24th 2008 @ 7:15pm | Report comment
I’d rather see an Aussie do really well in baseball in America – than watch them win a gold medal in a tournament where almost all countries are under strength.
Fragglerocker said | July 24th 2008 @ 7:51pm | Report comment
My 1st problem with the olympics – No rugby
2nd problem – way too much taxpayers money being wasted.
3rd problem – No rugby (One of the founding sports of the modern olympics I might add)
During the Athens games I did some calculations based on the budget figures and realised a few interesting facts:
It cost every single taxpayer an average of $40 to send our team.
For every dollar of taxpayers money actually spent on promoting sports in this country (providing facilities & equipment, upgrading grounds, funding coaches and officials, investing in kids sporting programs, etc) four dollars goes to fund a bunch of elitist wankers trotting over to the games to participate in sports virtually no-one in this country takes part in or gives a rat’s arse about at any other time. And then when they’re millionaires none of the money is repayed. What about a hex debt?
Think of it this way – every time you see an Australian receiving a medal, just remember it represents a public swimming pool that wasn’t built or a sports ground that could’ve been contructed – and then tell me it was worth it. No wonder our kids are becoming couch potatoes.
The most disgraceful moment in Australian sports was during the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth games when an overly jingoistic journalist poked fun at a Canadian swimming coach after we had thrashed them in the pool. When he was then asked if he felt totally humiliated he replied that he wasn’t, when he considered that the funding given to the Australian swimming team was seven times the funding given by every other country in the commmonwealth for every sport combined. We aren’t respected as a sporting nation anymore, we’re merely considered the new East Germany.
Three cheers for us – I’ll be changing channels.
Captain Carnage said | July 24th 2008 @ 8:13pm | Report comment
Pippinu,
Did I mention I’m opening a new restaurant as well…?!
Pippinu said | July 25th 2008 @ 10:02am | Report comment
Fragglerocker
I support everything you said (except maybe the rugby bit)
Slippery Jim said | July 25th 2008 @ 12:44pm | Report comment
Fragglerocker, so the Olympics are responsible for Aussie kids becoming couch potatoes. Forgive me for not following your superlative logic and reasoning there buddy.
Slippery Jim said | July 25th 2008 @ 12:49pm | Report comment
Phil Coorey, that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard, except for Fragglerocker’s statement. Baseball is the most boring sport in the world, followed closely by cricket. I am yet to meet in the flesh a single Australian who follows it. Winning gold at the Olympics is one of the very highest honors for any sportsperson, one that very few achieve, no matter the sport.
Pippinu said | July 25th 2008 @ 1:35pm | Report comment
It is fair to say that the manner in which golds are handed out (all medals for that matter) is quite anomalous right across the various sports. A gymnast can end up with an absolute swag of medals, team and individual, some about which they barely would have had any knowledge (other sports like weightlifting are in a similar boat), while the sport with the greatest appeal and with the longest period in qualification and determining the positions for medals, i.e. football, hands out a solitary gold.
Perhaps further football golds could be considered, such as:
1. highest individual goal scorer;
2. best player of the tournament;
3. best keeper;
4. most spectacular goal.
A panel of highly esteemed judges from every corner of the globe could ajudge nos 2 to 4. Let’s be honest, it could hardly be any more arbitrary than a whole swag of golds that can handed our for a variety of human endeavour – the vast bulk of it barely any more interesting than the game of sjoelbak.