NearPup

The cycling road race already has a quota number that is way too small for it to be a proper road race.

It’s not even a rumor, Christophe De Kepper straight up said on the record that Boxing would be included in the LA 2028 program.

Local politics coming into play is sort of an inevitable consequence of allowing the host organizer to pick some additional sports. Especially when presumably there was some quid pro quo wrt adding cricket, a sport that was obviously not *really* picked by the LA organizers.

It was also very funny to see all the pearl clutching over a lack of diversity in surfing. Amusing fact: surfing is the only Olympic sport where North America, South America, Africa, Asia and Oceania have all won medals but Europe hasn’t. And that’s after awarding just six medals…

Something like one in five human lives in the Indian subcontinent, I think it’s pretty reasonable for to get one sport. Plenty of very Eurocentric and East-Asia centric sports in the Olympics already (and the addition of Lacrosse and Flag Football is *very* North America centric - and heck we even have a sport that is dominated by tiny Oceania!).

Wrong thread I’m actually pretty excited about this, if they end up having a match in Florida or Texas I’ll be tempted to attend.

Has anyone seen both of them in the same place?

Cricket is very simple to explain to someone who knows how baseball works - the main thing that is hard to grasp is that in cricket outs are valuable and runs are cheap, whereas in baseball runs are valuable and outs are cheap. Everything else is very easy to explain.

They could also just not have baseball and include men’s softball instead :P

Flag football, Lacrosse and Baseball / Softball are all additions I have serious issues with. For Flag football and Lacrosse there is a serious lack of depth Internationally, and I don’t think either sport is ready for the Olympics. On a personal note I am happy Lacrosse got added (both because I enjoy watching it and because it is a great medal chance for Canada) while I really dislike Flag football. I do not like the inclusion of Baseball and Softball because of the lack of gender equality and because the best players don’t take part in Baseball. That being said I did really enjoy watching the Softball tournament in Tokyo. I am, without any reservation, happy about the addition of Cricket and Squash.

I’m surprised breaking got its first chance too. But it seems like the sport has performed well since being added to Paris, and it is also likely among the cheapest sports to host. So I figured it would be added again just from a cost benefit analysis standpoint.

I'm pretty surprised Breaking isn't getting a second chance.

Ya, it does feel like Cricket and Squash are getting an audition for potentially being included permanently.

The main issue I have with flag football, *especially* the version played Internationally, is that it is the absolute most boring form of gridiron football that exists xD

No I hate it too. The Olympic program having relative consistency is really important to making the event prestigious imo. Of course it has to evolve, but when an event is added it should be a long term decision imo.

Squash getting a long overdue shot at establishing itself as an Olympic sport.

Yup, really heartbreaking way for them to miss out.

For the record I still think that this is a terrible qualification system and that Canada got extremely lucky to be drawn into the group hosted by (which was *by far* the worst "top seed").

I was really not expecting that after the loss against Belgium.

Sure bud, start deleting some posts

qualifying is a really pleasant surprise, both in the broader context but especially after the terrible performance against yesterday. Third Olympics in a row for the team is quite special.

One more set and is in Paris

What a ducking rollercoaster this tournament is.

really doesn’t deserve to be bailed out by a team that was playing for pride (and ranking points). …still obviously really happy about it. But the team really doesn’t deserve to be in a position where it controls its own destiny vs .

Honestly I think the IOC should ban the kind of selection policies have entirely. Sure if those NOCs want the athletes to self fund the trip that’s fine, but the IOC should insist that the best qualified athletes attend.