Badminton may be cut from Olympics altogether after 2008

**bigredlemon** · 12-09-2002, 01:35 PM

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/...ingnews-sports

Exerpt:

Representatives of baseball, softball and modern pentathlon will each have a brief 10-minute opportunity this afternoon to argue why their sport should continue to benefit from the lucrative exposure the Olympics provide.

...

If the session decides to keep the three sports, Rogge's ruling executive board will have until next June's IOC assembly in Prague to find other ways to trim excess events. It has been suggested that events in badminton, rowing, canoeing, yachting and synchronized swimming are among the disciplines in danger.

**bigredlemon** · 12-09-2002, 01:38 PM

I know there's been talk about moving it to the Winter Olympics, but i had no idea they were thinking of cutting it altogether.

**bigredlemon** · 12-09-2002, 01:42 PM

Here's another (newer) article:
http://www.gamesbids.com/cgi-bin/new...&id=1038686976

Exerpt:
[The first 3 sports were allowed to stay until another review in 2005]

Now the IOC’s ruling executive board will have to focus its attention on cutting disciplines from other sports in the next few months to find other ways of scaling down the Games.

A report discussed at the IOC meeting suggested radical steps such as scratching disciplines like race walking and equestrian eventing.

Badminton, rowing, canoeing, and yachting are also in danger.

**jwu** · 12-09-2002, 02:08 PM

um they are gonna cut badminton starting in 2008 in Beijing? yeah that's a good decision. cut the event which the hosting country and region of the world that clearly favors that sport. don't understand these things at all sometime. the world is runned by people with no mind.

**LazyBuddy** · 12-09-2002, 02:39 PM

Originally posted by jwu
um they are gonna cut badminton starting in 2008 in Beijing? yeah that's a good decision. cut the event which the hosting country and region of the world that clearly favors that sport. don't understand these things at all sometime. the world is runned by people with no mind.

I believe it will be after 2008. Still, cut a sport that played by over 30% of the world population is such a "fantastic" idea to reflect the "Olympic spirit"?????

Wow... If that's the logic, why don't they cut basketball? Volleyball? Soccer? (Actually, almost all other "remaining events"). Since most of them, won't have much more population support than badminton (or table tennis) anyway... Never have to say, a lot of them won't have even close to have a support population as badminton.

Ohhh... forgot this... Badminton and table tennis were dominated by asian nations, and few European ones...

Hmmm... Ok... U got my point...

**^shaz^** · 12-09-2002, 02:48 PM

Originally posted by LazyBuddy
I believe it will be after 2008. Still, cut a sport that played by over 30% of the world population is such a "fantastic" idea to reflect the "Olympic spirit"?????

Wow... If that's the logic, why don't they cut basketball? Volleyball? Soccer? (Actually, almost all other "remaining events"). Since most of them, won't have much more population support than badminton (or table tennis) anyway... Never have to say, a lot of them won't have even close to have a support population as badminton.

Ohhh... forgot this... Badminton and table tennis were dominated by asian nations, and few European ones...

Hmmm... Ok... U got my point...

Heh yeah, point taken and agreed

**bigredlemon** · 12-09-2002, 02:51 PM

Originally posted by LazyBuddy
I believe it will be after 2008. Still, cut a sport that played by over 30% of the world population is such a "fantastic" idea to reflect the "Olympic spirit"?????

Wow... If that's the logic, why don't they cut basketball? Volleyball? Soccer? (Actually, almost all other "remaining events"). Since most of them, won't have much more population support than badminton (or table tennis) anyway... Never have to say, a lot of them won't have even close to have a support population as badminton.

Ohhh... forgot this... Badminton and table tennis were dominated by asian nations, and few European ones...

Hmmm... Ok... U got my point...

Well, on the the plus side, they are only thinking about cutting it, and it won't be cut until at least after 2008. Fortunately, "race walking" will probably go before badminton does. It sounds like baseball will probably be cut by 2008 though, so having Americans do well is no guarantee either.

**LazyBuddy** · 12-09-2002, 02:57 PM

Originally posted by bigredlemon
It sounds like baseball will probably be cut by 2008 though, so having Americans do well is no guarantee either.

Got ur point.

However, Americans are not that dominated in baseball. They will face big charllenge from Cuba, other middle south American nations, and even Japan.

The thing not for sure is: whether they can win baseball medal (especially without pros join the team). The thing for sure is: they can't get a shot in badminton in recent years... Maybe should I say, not even in a match like quater final lvl???

**jwu** · 12-09-2002, 02:59 PM

Just something interesting that I found. When I went to the olympic site below:

http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/index_uk.asp

and check out the events recognized, the representing picture is badminton. hmm...

***kwun*** · 12-09-2002, 03:06 PM

just look at this one photo of Lee Dong Soo, no one in the world will say that badminton isn't an extremely athletic sport:

**jwu** · 12-09-2002, 03:10 PM

I like the perspective of that shot. dang, that's a lot of ups.

**^shaz^** · 12-09-2002, 03:24 PM

what a pic

i need to learn how to jump like that lol

**Shoulderpain** · 12-09-2002, 08:12 PM

It's too bad but true that sports will not be cut because of their merits as sports...but because of marketing, money, and so on. The Olympics are a big big business, and they're always looking for more more more. Sports like badminton that are seen as poor revenue generators may be cut for that reason alone.

On the other hand, badminton's Asian appeal may save it, because I believe the Olympic organizers see a lot of (economic) potential for the games in that area - it's a huge market that they have only begun to reach into. Just look at the Soccer World Cup - the reason they chose Korea / Japan as hosts was mostly about marketing the game in that area - grow grow grow, money money money...same reason why China will host the Olympics next.

Aaaaaaah...the spirit of the games...?

**JChen99** · 12-09-2002, 08:32 PM

Originally posted by ^shaz^
i need to learn how to jump like that lol

go do highjump

**bigredlemon** · 12-09-2002, 08:51 PM

Originally posted by Shoulderpain
It's too bad but true that sports will not be cut because of their merits as sports...but because of marketing, money, and so on. The Olympics are a big big business, and they're always looking for more more more. Sports like badminton that are seen as poor revenue generators may be cut for that reason alone.

On the other hand, badminton's Asian appeal may save it, because I believe the Olympic organizers see a lot of (economic) potential for the games in that area - it's a huge market that they have only begun to reach into. Just look at the Soccer World Cup - the reason they chose Korea / Japan as hosts was mostly about marketing the game in that area - grow grow grow, money money money...same reason why China will host the Olympics next.

Aaaaaaah...the spirit of the games...?

Sad but true. Money is probably what prompted them to add baseball in the first place. Since 2008 will be hosted by China, a big badminton country, I'm hoping that will mean lots of badminton coverage in countries that wouldn't normally air badminton. When I hear olympic China, i think of ping pong and badminton. I think most people would rather watch badminton than ping pong. I guess that will be badminton's big chance to prove itself.

Lately, a number of sports magazines has recognized how underrated badminton is the US. Hopefully, this pattern builds up until badminton is viewed much like soccer was viewed last year.

**bigredlemon** · 12-09-2002, 09:07 PM

Originally posted by kwun
just look at this one photo of Lee Dong Soo, no one in the world will say that badminton isn't an extremely athletic sport:

Hey kwun! that is a fake picture you posted... that isn't what really happened. I happen to have the REAL photo so i'll post it for you