Considering women won't be allowed to compete in ski jumping in 2010...

[HEyHEY]

Is any else not surprised the IOC doesn't give a flying fuck about human rights? Considering the British Columbia government has spent millions on the games instead of on public services such as health care and solving Vancouver's homeless problem are you surprised the IOC doesn't mind holding the games in China.
It's time we just boycott all Olympics.

[alarimer]

1. The Olympics are a joke

Ever since they allowed professionals to compete. Because the IOC is only interested in the money they can make from it, they do not care one bit about human rights at all. They didn't cancel them in 1936 when they were in Germany. We already knew Hitler was a monster by then. I say, do away with the Olympics. They are ridiculous.

[rurallib]

7. Once TV and money became involved

well it's been just like every other sport that has gone pro.

[americanyouth]

2. I didn't hear about women not being allowed to compete in ski jumping...

Why?! Do you have a link to anything?

[dysfunctional press]

4. they never have been allowed- it's not a new ban.

the ioc says that it's not "safe" for them to compete in the event- so they just use the women to make practice runs to test the conditions of the ramp and landing zone prior to the actual event(true)...

wassup widdat?

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

6. Thanks, I'm scratching my head trying to recall watching women jump.

Nothing there.

[dysfunctional press]

9. "watching women jump"....

sigh...i miss The Man Show.

[americanyouth]

17. lol...and now, GIRLS ON TRAMPOLINES!!!

[KatyaR]

20. Okay, that's totally whacked--

it's safe enough for them to test the runs but not to actually ski them in competition? Stupid men (no offense intended).

I used to love the Olympics, but since it's become all about the money and who's logo is the biggest, I hate it. I miss the old days when the people who competed were the ones who loved the sports, not those who paid their way in. I think when they started allowing NBA players to compete is when it did it in for me.

[LeftHander]

28. I saw women ski jump in Japan Nagano..

It was a exhibition sport. They cited low number internationally...but 135 is more than bobsled etc...

dumb ruling.

[dysfunctional press]

29. the ioc even stopped letting eddie the eagle fly for the u.k. in the winter games...

who remembers eddie the eagle?



even though almost the entire world LOVED eddie and his spirit at the calgary games, the ioc saw him as an embarrassment, and even went as far as changing the rules to lock him out of future games.

In response to the Edwards phenomenon, in 1990, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) instituted what became known as the Eddie the Eagle Rule, which requires Olympic hopefuls to compete in international events and place in the top 30 percent or the top 50 competitors, whichever is the lesser.

Edwards consequently failed to qualify for the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, and the 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway. He managed to get a 5-year sponsorship from Eagle Airlines, a small British charter company serving Guernsey, in order to fund his attempt to reach the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. However, he failed to qualify for the games in Nagano as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_%22the_Eagle%22_Edwards

[HEyHEY]

5. here

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/amateur/story/2008/02/28/ioc-vancouver-rogge.html


Rogge's arguments don't hold up either as far as I'm concerned.

[Karenina]

15. Ski jumping has been a longtime fantasy!

The FIRST thing I wanna know is if there is any difference in the distances? Do males consistently outperform females to the the extent that a co-ed event would be "unthinkable?" :shrug:

[bullwinkle428]

21. I'm guessing they could compete with the men - the best

male jumpers tend to weigh around 120-125 pounds, so size is a clear liability in the sport!

[Karenina]

23. That's what I was thinking too!

As ski jumpers tend to be slight, gender is not a factor. Leg strength and equilibrium ARE. Have the 80 women "testers" been out-distancing the male "winners" for YEARS??? Enquiring minds want to know! ;-)

[americanyouth]

18. Only 80 worldwide...

So, how many participants would it take to add Olympic Masturbation (200 Peter Dash) to the events roster?!

[HEyHEY]

24. You and your buddies looking for something to do?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

3. Well good for you!

:thumbsup:

[MonkeyFunk]

8. They don't let men participate in

synchronized swimming either, the bastards.

[HEyHEY]

10. You still bitter about that?

[Dr. Strange]

16. He just wants to wear the Speedo.

He can't swim for crap.

[kestrel91316]

11. I'm already boycotting the Beijing Olympics because of the Tibet thing.

Won't watch it. You heard it first here. It's 90% commercials anyway.

[juno jones]

12. A fairly long while back, I ran into some pretty interesting

reading about the political connections of the IOC. I'm sure a googling of the subject would reveal some interesting facts. I've been disillusioned with the Olympics for awhile. I do not watch them.

[maxsolomon]

13. Vancouver has to solve HOMELESSNESS before they can host the Winter Olympics?

since no city in north america has solved homelessness, that's asking a lot.

what is the plan for the Olympic Village AFTER the Olympics?

[HEyHEY]

14. The plan is to sell most of it as market housing

And give a little tiny bit of it low income... NOT social housing.

When the people of Vancouver agreed to the Olympics we were told the homeless problem would be a top priority. SInce then it has become worse.... meanwhile our tax dollars are going to building playgrounds for the Olympics.

[dysfunctional press]

19. the more a community does for the homeless, the more homeless they're going to get.

word spreads..people migrate. the thing about being homeless- you can do it anywhere...why not go where the treatment, perks, and climate are best? :shrug:

btw- i'm not saying that nothing should be done- it is a problem, and it needs to be addressed. i think that in the future we'll see a LOT more "communal lifestyles"...multiple families and generations sharing houses or groups of houses. the way things are going with jobs, energy, and food- it's a natural societal progression...and at least some of the homeless will be absorbed into those situations.

[JVS]

22. Which is why they should be making the cheap housing in Winnipeg.

[dysfunctional press]

26. you really think that the winter climate of winnipeg compares with that of vancouver?

climate is a biggie.

[maxsolomon]

25. that is certainly true here in Seattle

i always ask the homeless i give spange to where they're from. its never here.

[dysfunctional press]

27. i'd be willing to bet the same is true in san fransisco, too.

and all the rest of socal, all the way down to san diego.