Biathlon IBU World Championships 2020

[Olympian1010 8,230]

8 minutes ago, dcro said:

 

This would inevitably happen if it gets added to the program.

 

Anyone remembers the curling mixed doubles fiasco? It was all "sexy" and "exotic" with nations like Hungary taking world titles. Then it was added to the program under the pretense of giving a medal chance to smaller nations. But in the end the usual rich suspects took all the spoils, while Hungary and company didn't even qualify.

However, the IOC and WCF have learned from that error, and given the event more quotas, meaning that smaller nations can have a better chance of qualification. Small still do moderately well at the World Championships, there just needed to be more than 8 quotas available.

[Monzanator 4,768]

1 minute ago, Olympian1010 said:

However, the IOC and WCF have learned from that error, and given the event more quotas, meaning that smaller nations can have a better chance of qualification. Small still do moderately well at the World Championships, there just needed to be more than 8 quotas available.

 

You'd need to split the tournament into group stage because when everyone plays everyone it's impossible to have more quotas. 11 matches before the medal round is more than enough, hell there was enough controversy with Asia becoming a force when a world class team like Japan didn't qualify for the Worlds once (when they won silver medal in the previous edition IIRC) so Europe had to lose one spot in order to fit the Asian market.

 

@dcro  is spot on with his take. Big teams will eventually continue to dominate the smaller nations regardless of the intentions.

[NearPup 3,496]

3 hours ago, Olympian1010 said:

No, I don’t want 3 relays either. I also don’t want the individual. We should just lose the useless gender relays.

What’s wrong with the men’a and the women’s relay? Why has this thread turned into a “should we remove the individual and the relays from the Olympics”?

[Olympian1010 8,230]

21 minutes ago, NearPup said:

What’s wrong with the men’a and the women’s relay? Why has this thread turned into a “should we remove the individual and the relays from the Olympics”?

I just see zero point for gender relays at this point. Relays are rather “pointless” events to begin with, and the IOC has indicted they want more gender equality and mixed events. Nations will have to be just a deep as they are now, but the emphasis will be placed on being deep in both genders. I think we should do away with the gender relays and embrace the mixed gender relays. 
 

The Individual should absolutely remain in the games, as I have maintained this entire time. I was just pointing out that it might be the most interesting of events, and that’s why it could be targeted for change and removal.

[Monzanator 4,768]

1 minute ago, Olympian1010 said:

I just see zero point for gender relays at this point. Relays are rather “pointless” events to begin with, and the IOC has indicted they want more gender equality and mixed events. Nations will have to be just a deep as they are now, but the emphasis will be placed on being deep in both genders. I think we should do away with the gender relays and embrace the mixed gender relays. 
 

The Individual should absolutely remain in the games, as I have maintained this entire time. I was just pointing out that it might be the most interesting of events, and that’s why it could be targeted for change and removal.

 

Thankfully politicians won't make these decisions. It's enough power of them if they control law making, finances and trade market all over the world already. Sport should be free of this political bickering.

 

You should post this in the Politics Thread under science-fiction tag and leave the Biathlon Thread to well... biathlon!

[Olympian1010 8,230]

14 minutes ago, Monzanator said:

 

Thankfully politicians won't make these decisions. It's enough power of them if they control law making, finances and trade market all over the world already. Sport should be free of this political bickering.

 

You should post this in the Politics Thread under science-fiction tag and leave the Biathlon Thread to well... biathlon!

What about what I said was political? I get gender equality is a contentious issue, but I felt I stayed away from the politics of it. I simply stated why an event would be suited to replace two others. What I wrote above is completely about sport whether you agree with it or not. 

[Werloc 3,191]

19 minutes ago, Olympian1010 said:

I just see zero point for gender relays at this point. Relays are rather “pointless” events to begin with, and the IOC has indicted they want more gender equality and mixed events. Nations will have to be just a deep as they are now, but the emphasis will be placed on being deep in both genders. I think we should do away with the gender relays and embrace the mixed gender relays. 
 

The Individual should absolutely remain in the games, as I have maintained this entire time. I was just pointing out that it might be the most interesting of events, and that’s why it could be targeted for change and removal.

 

Can't agree with you on this one. If we only had mixed relays, it would be the same four people running in every single one of them most of the time.

 

I wonder how many years will pass until someone other than the Boe brothers run for Norway.

 

These four people relays at least give a chance to people like Dale, Christiansen to perhaps come away with a medal from the championships. 

 

There are not a lot of opportunities to win medals and when 50% of them go to Fourcade, JTB, Roeiseland and Wierer, then there is not much chance for other athletes to come away with a medal, so at least they have a shot to feel like champions for once even if it is a team setting and not an individual victory.

 

For example, cases like Franziska Hildebrand, has been in biathlon forever, has a fourth place in the World Championships, would end her career without a single medal, but she was competent enough to get two relay golds with Germany so she won't end her career empty handed. 

[Monzanator 4,768]

9 minutes ago, Olympian1010 said:

What about what I said was political? I get gender equality is a contentious issue, but I felt I stayed away from the politics of it. I simply stated why an event would be suited to replace two others. What I wrote above is completely about sport whether you agree with it or not. 

 

Gender equality is used in political campaigns all over the world. Who are you kidding here? We're not a bunch of 10 years olds to buy this as a sport-only question.

 

I see you believe politicians don't have enough power in this world already. George Orwell would be proud of the political control you're trying to enforce in this thread

[Olympian1010 8,230]

2 minutes ago, Monzanator said:

 

Gender equality is used in political campaigns all over the world. Who are you kidding here? We're not a bunch of 10 years olds to buy this as a sport-only question.

 

I see you believe politicians don't have enough power in this world already. George Orwell would be proud of the political control you're trying to enforce in this thread

So talking about an IOC initiative, and the ways it could be enforced in biathlon, in a biathlon thread is political now? I guess talking about national depth, and relays is political too? 
 

I have a feeling Orwell would be on my side here buddy. You’re the one trying to restrict views that against yours. Someone didn’t read Animal Farm or 1984...

[Olympian1010 8,230]

10 minutes ago, Werloc said:

 

Can't agree with you on this one. If we only had mixed relays, it would be the same four people running in every single one of them most of the time.

 

I wonder how many years will pass until someone other than the Boe brothers run for Norway.

 

These four people relays at least give a chance to people like Dale, Christiansen to perhaps come away with a medal from the championships. 

 

There are not a lot of opportunities to win medals and when 50% of them go to Fourcade, JTB, Roeiseland and Wierer, then there is not much chance for other athletes to come away with a medal, so at least they have a shot to feel like champions for once even if it is a team setting and not an individual victory.

 

For example, cases like Franziska Hildebrand, has been in biathlon forever, has a fourth place in the World Championships, would end her career without a single medal, but she was competent enough to get two relay golds with Germany so she won't end her career empty handed. 

I’m a bit conflicted when it comes to this. I totally get what your saying, and I agree that it’s a positive thing for athletes. But if the athletes that would be affected by the change can’t even earn a medal without the team event, have they really earned medal? I understand relays open the door for Norway #4, #5, #6 (as well as other powerhouse countries) to get a medal, but should we be rewarding those athletes? I also understand of course that some of these athletes actually end up playing a key role in relay victories, so that’s where I’m torn. I agree that it’s not fair to cut these athletes out, but I also think that athletes being carried to medals is unfair to the other athletes.