Rio Olympics

I can remember all the Olympics from Tokyo in 1964, and for decades, we heard the athletes saying the facilities and backing were missing.

If only we could receive support, they said, we could do much better. We didn't win many medals in those days.

Well, now we are seeing the results that decent financial backing can produce, thanks to the national lottery.

I think it's brilliant that an aspiring athlete, whatever their sport, can now realise their true potential.

It may well cost something like £350 million to support them, but I'm all for it.

All those talented athletes with medals in their pockets that are now returning home wouldn't have stood a chance of getting near the podium a few years ago, and now we are the second most successful country on earth.

It's a far cry from the past, when we won one or two gold medals at each games, and long may our success continue.
 
Find it hard to accept the women's 800m results, as the rules stand they are correct but the issue with hyperandrogenism needs dealing with. Either stick with the current rules and pretty much every female 800m athlete will change event or significantly lower the accepted testosterone levels which obviously would be unfair on those athletes born with naturally high testosterone but much better for the majority and the sport. It's not just Semenya either but there are other sports that need to deal with this issue as well.
 
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MCFC1993 said:
Find it hard to accept the women's 800m results, as the rules stand they are correct but the issue with hyperandrogenism needs dealing with. Either stick with the current rules and pretty much every female 800m athlete will change event or significantly lower the accepted testosterone levels which would be obviously unfair on those athletes born with natural testosterone but much better for the majority and the sport. It's not just Semenya either but there are other sports that need to deal with this issue as well.
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Yes that was really interesting I thought Paula Radcliffe was very eloquent. Whatever happens someone is going to get hurt. No woman with usual hormone levels particularly testosterone can get anywhere near her . But born with the condition hyperandrogenism there is very little anyone can do. Difficult situation.
Edit I wonder if a concrete level testosterone which makes someone Male can be established?
 
bumbleblue said:
Yes that was really interesting I thought Paula Radcliffe was very eloquent. Whatever happens someone is going to get hurt. No woman with usual hormone levels particularly testosterone can get anywhere near her . But born with the condition hyperandrogenism there is very little anyone can do. Difficult situation.
Edit I wonder if a concrete level testosterone which makes someone Male can be established?
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Just use Ronaldo as a baseline and say 5% more testosterone than him qualifies you as a man.
 
roj said:
They're thanking the national lottery a lot. Don't remember them doing that before. 'Them' being the fucking superheroes I'm proud to live on the same island with.

Is someone trying to tell us to buy more lottery tickets?
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I think that's maybe so some people don't think it's government money. I reckon the vast majority of us know it's Lottery funding, but I'm sure there's a few of there who might believe the dosh comes from government funding.

I remember reading about a huge Lottery grant going towards paying for the Royal Opera House (£75m) to be upgraded and thin hoping what a fucking disgrace. However, I think the whole country gets a feel good factor from our athletes doing so well at the Olympics. There's probably quite a large chunk of people who believe the money could be better doesn't, but I remember the Atlanta Olympics and other such shite when we had loads of athletes 'just happy to be here'.
 
malg said:
I think that's maybe so some people don't think it's government money. I reckon the vast majority of us know it's Lottery funding, but I'm sure there's a few of there who might believe the dosh comes from government funding.

I remember reading about a huge Lottery grant going towards paying for the Royal Opera House (£75m) to be upgraded and thin hoping what a fucking disgrace. However, I think the whole country gets a feel good factor from our athletes doing so well at the Olympics. There's probably quite a large chunk of people who believe the money could be better doesn't, but I remember the Atlanta Olympics and other such shite when we had loads of athletes 'just happy to be here'.
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Either me or you went off at the end there but I see your point about making sure we all know it's not nhs money that's paying their coaches wages.

Got it now. I'd rather the money go towards a massive shiny carbon penis erected in Tatton Park to outshine the Knutsford watches.
 
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malg said:
I think that's maybe so some people don't think it's government money. I reckon the vast majority of us know it's Lottery funding, but I'm sure there's a few of there who might believe the dosh comes from government funding.
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I think if it was down to politicians in general we'd still be finishing 36th in the medal table below Ethiopia as we did at the Atlanta Olympics.

Most of them have ignored the importance of sport to society whilst at the same time preaching the virtues of staying healthy and then jumping on the bandwagon whenever we have any sporting success.

However John Major, who was a sports fan, deserves the accolades for instigating the National Lottery to fund sport and the arts and all the other good causes that generally get neglected.
 
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