![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Olympic rant
Aug. 26th, 2004 09:03 amThere may be people who take the Olympics entirely seriously but I don't imagine many of them read this journal, so I will permit myself one Olympic rant, covering off, decathlon style, my observations on the oddness of the Olympics.
Synchronised swimming
Any activity which require competitors to wear make up under water is inherently absurd.
Field events
In the ancient Olympics the crown for the chariot race went to the owner of the horses, not the driver. Given that success in the strength events, especially the women's, seems to be all about the ability to stay ahead of the doping tests, I propose the medal be given to the appropriate drug companies or labs.
Sprinters' clothing
What's with this? Every year the men wear more clothing and the women less. It has now reached the point where the men have a one piece garment vaguely reminiscent of an Edwardian bathing suit while the women asymptotically approach the traditional thin layer of olive oil.
Rowing
Regattas on rivers are fun. Besides strength and stamina, considerable guile is involved. Rowing on a big tank is dead boring. One might as well stick them on a machine and measure oxygen uptake.
10m air pistol
Firing a pop gun from half the length of a cricket pitch! They should be awarding soft toys not medals for this event.
Gymnastics, diving etc
I was a late developer. I must have been at least seven years old before I realised that pro wrestling was fixed. Why does anybody still bother with the sham 'judged' events?
Beach volleyball
OK so the Australians wanted this for Sydney to up the T&A factor but having a men's event is political correctness gone nuts. Perhaps the competitors should be required to wear leather thongs?
Synchronised swimming
Any activity which require competitors to wear make up under water is inherently absurd.
Field events
In the ancient Olympics the crown for the chariot race went to the owner of the horses, not the driver. Given that success in the strength events, especially the women's, seems to be all about the ability to stay ahead of the doping tests, I propose the medal be given to the appropriate drug companies or labs.
Sprinters' clothing
What's with this? Every year the men wear more clothing and the women less. It has now reached the point where the men have a one piece garment vaguely reminiscent of an Edwardian bathing suit while the women asymptotically approach the traditional thin layer of olive oil.
Rowing
Regattas on rivers are fun. Besides strength and stamina, considerable guile is involved. Rowing on a big tank is dead boring. One might as well stick them on a machine and measure oxygen uptake.
10m air pistol
Firing a pop gun from half the length of a cricket pitch! They should be awarding soft toys not medals for this event.
Gymnastics, diving etc
I was a late developer. I must have been at least seven years old before I realised that pro wrestling was fixed. Why does anybody still bother with the sham 'judged' events?
Beach volleyball
OK so the Australians wanted this for Sydney to up the T&A factor but having a men's event is political correctness gone nuts. Perhaps the competitors should be required to wear leather thongs?
