Tokyo Summer Olympic Games 2020 News

[Agger 1,664]

  On 6/1/2016 at 3:04 PM, Mkbw50 said:

Why not T20 cricket in Olympics?

Interest in enough countries:
India

Sri Lanka
Pakistan
Australia
New Zealand
South Africa
Afghanistan

UK

LOTS of Caribbean countries

 

There could be 12, 16, etc teams
There could be UK team comprised of mostly England players

West Indies could have independent teams (like in Caribbean Premier League e.g. St. Lucia Zouks, Barbados Tridents)
Already played at 2010 and 2014 Asian Games

Could help tap cricket into key markets i.e. US, China as there is more chance of them watching if it is in the Olympics, a bit like sports such as shooting or archery.

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One major weakness is that it's not very big in USA and Europe (with UK as an exception), who are both major players. It could possibly help on this problem for the sport, but I believe it would need more "strong" countries to have a chance. The only chance I see, is if the Olympics went to one of the countries mentioned, and they wanted it there.

I wouldn't mind though, as Denmark is one of the strongest European nations and would thereby be closer to the Olympics than we will ever get in water polo, basketball or hockey!

[LDOG 2,432]

I don't see any problem with any of those sports being added, my only issue is the limited quota all of them will have. Especially the case of karate and climbing.

 

I just hope that for Baseball and Softball they don't give continental quotas. Just make a world qualifier and have the best 5 teams qualify (maybe the world baseball classic?).

[NearPup 3,254]

  On 6/1/2016 at 3:04 PM, Mkbw50 said:

Why not T20 cricket in Olympics?

Interest in enough countries:
India

Sri Lanka
Pakistan
Australia
New Zealand
South Africa
Afghanistan

UK

LOTS of Caribbean countries

 

There could be 12, 16, etc teams
There could be UK team comprised of mostly England players

West Indies could have independent teams (like in Caribbean Premier League e.g. St. Lucia Zouks, Barbados Tridents)
Already played at 2010 and 2014 Asian Games

Could help tap cricket into key markets i.e. US, China as there is more chance of them watching if it is in the Olympics, a bit like sports such as shooting or archery.

Expand  

It would help if the ICC got it's governence in order. Frankly I oppose cricket joining the Olympics on philosophical grounds as long as they keep segregating test nations from the peasant associate nations. 

 

They would also need to, well, apply to join the Olympics. They seem reluctant so far.

[Federer91 2,904]

Baseball/softball to replace rugby/golf for the "hosts sports wishes" and even they are so-so... The rest aren't even sports and have no place in the Olympics. While they are at it, why not choose also video games and Ninja Warrior. Bet they would bring more interest in Japan than the others...

[DaniSRB 899]

  On 6/1/2016 at 6:21 PM, Federer91 said:

Baseball/softball to replace rugby/golf for the "hosts sports wishes" and even they are so-so... The rest aren't even sports and have no place in the Olympics. While they are at it, why not choose also video games and Ninja Warrior. Bet they would bring more interest in Japan than the others...

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[Mkbw50 438]

I would support the addition of both

[Agger 1,664]

  On 6/1/2016 at 6:21 PM, Federer91 said:

Baseball/softball to replace rugby/golf for the "hosts sports wishes" and even they are so-so... The rest aren't even sports and have no place in the Olympics. While they are at it, why not choose also video games and Ninja Warrior. Bet they would bring more interest in Japan than the others...

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What do you define as sports, since they aren't sports?

[phelps 7,864]

  On 6/1/2016 at 3:37 PM, LDOG said:

I don't see any problem with any of those sports being added, my only issue is the limited quota all of them will have. Especially the case of karate and climbing.

 

I just hope that for Baseball and Softball they don't give continental quotas. Just make a world qualifier and have the best 5 teams qualify (maybe the world baseball classic?).

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if it's gonna be the case, it's already decided that the Olympic qualifying tournament will be the Premier 12 in 2019...

and since Premier 12 is made only by the best 12 teams in the World Ranking, we can be sure that there won't be much regard to the Continental representation (even if I guess that they would guarantee the start of at least 3 Continents, giving th berths to the 3 medallists, Japan - host of the Games - the next best American team and the next best non Asian/American team)...

[LDOG 2,432]

  On 6/1/2016 at 6:48 PM, phelps said:

 

if it's gonna be the case, it's already decided that the Olympic qualifying tournament will be the Premier 12 in 2019...

and since Premier 12 is made only by the best 12 teams in the World Ranking, we can be sure that there won't be much regard to the Continental representation (even if I guess that they would guarantee the start of at least 3 Continents, giving th berths to the 3 medallists, Japan - host of the Games - the next best American team and the next best non Asian/American team)...

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The main issue is whether to give a direct quota to Europe or not, with Africa is not even a debatable... no.

[De_Gambassi 1,225]

My two escudos:

 

Baseball/Softball. Baseball is not less an international sport that water polo or field hockey. One of the biggest cons of the sport was always the cost for a dedicated sport infrastructure, something that is obviously not a issue in Tokyo. Why not, then ? On the other hand, softball is a very, very minor international sport and has no business to be in the olympics. Drop Softball, have a proper - men - baseball 12 team tournament. Reassess it after Tokyo.

 

Karate: Only if we ditch taekwondo in the process. Too much redundancy between the two.

 

Surfing. Despite growing up in an heavy surfing/skateboarding culture (mostly made of wanabee though, my younger myself included), I certainly don't support surfing inclusion. The sport is far from global, being only popular in some smallish regional pockets. Judging controversies are common. A large part of its fanbase considers it as a 'culture' first and foremost, and not a sport in the tradiontional - IOC - way. It can also be a very, very lame spectacle.

 

Skateboarding: To me, it sounds like the church bringing a guitar, a few colorfull shirts and thinking that they will appeal to the youth that way. Hint: It doesen't work and it makes you desesperate and ridiculous. All the surfing cons in worse (+ a split between governing bodies). No, not even close. What were they thinking ? ©

 

Sport climbing: Actually the only sport that I fully support the inclusion of. It's fresh, it offers something trully new, the sport is fully supportive of its inclusion. And it's actually a somehow spectator-friendly sport. My concern is the combined event, I'd have much prefered to have a propper speed and bouldering event.

 

Generally speaking, I don't get the IOC and the japanese OC. The process and the sport's choices make very little sense to me.

PS: we need a dedicated sport program thread 

Edited June 1, 2016 by De_Gambassi