Boxing might be removed from the Olympics!

Rocker

Shock and horror but it seems that the sport of boxing may be removed from the Olympics.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/boxing/45899704

A similar feature is on the RTE News Now! website.

Fretwired

Good. Ban it along with shooting.

ThorpyFX

Fretwired said:

Good. Ban it along with shooting.

Why? Both require an extreme amount of skill. Boxing is probably one of the biggest tests of heart you can get in sport. 

Emp_Fab

Fretwired said:

Good. Ban it along with shooting.

And dressage.

77ric

Completely agree about dressage, or prancey horse as I call it. 

CHRISB50

Emp_Fab said:

Fretwired said:

Good. Ban it along with shooting.

And dressage.

Or combine all 3 into one sport. 

People punching and shooting at each other from the back of a dancing horse could be quite entertaining. 

EricTheWeary

I’ve written and deleted a somewhat lengthy and ranty post but, in brief, I wouldn’t miss it. 

Sporky

Let's ban it all, just for funnies. 

stimpsonslostson

My view of Olympic sports is simple. 

Is an Olympic Gold Medal the pinnacle of the sport? 
If it is then the sport should remain. If not it should be removed from the games. 

Eg: 
Football- World Cup/Champions League
Golf- Augusta Masters/Open
Tennis- Wimbledon/US/French/Australian Open
Basketball- NBA
Road Cycling- The Tours

I'm not convinced that if any of the events above clashed with the Games that you'd see all the top athletes come to the Olympics. 

Boxing is an interesting case. An Olympic gold IS a major landmark in a fighters career and the crowning achievement as an Amateur... But is it more important than a Pro world title? Hard to say it isn't in an era of alphabet titles! 

I strongly objected to the proposed removal of Wrestling a few years ago. It's a traditional Olympic sport where the gold IS the highest accolade. 

ThorpyFX

stimpsonslostson said:

My view of Olympic sports is simple. 

Is an Olympic Gold Medal the pinnacle of the sport? 
If it is then the sport should remain. If not it should be removed from the games. 

Eg: 
Football- World Cup/Champions League
Golf- Augusta Masters/Open
Tennis- Wimbledon/US/French/Australian Open
Basketball- NBA
Road Cycling- The Tours

I'm not convinced that if any of the events above clashed with the Games that you'd see all the top athletes come to the Olympics. 

Boxing is an interesting case. An Olympic gold IS a major landmark in a fighters career and the crowning achievement as an Amateur... But is it more important than a Pro world title? Hard to say it isn't in an era of alphabet titles! 

I strongly objected to the proposed removal of Wrestling a few years ago. It's a traditional Olympic sport where the gold IS the highest accolade. 

With amateur boxing it is the highest accolade. The two sports are sufficiently different. Indeed more than any other sport I’ve seen, if you go “pro” then you can’t fight at the Olympics.

the #ame can’t be said for tennis or football

menamestom

Amateur boxing is a different sport in many ways and to that end the Olympics is the pinnacle in that respect.
It's also much closer to what many people will get involved with in boxing with the rise of the white collar and charity events.

I think it should stay. The pinnacle of boxing is so often a freak show which not everybody can access easily unless you have subscriptions and then PPV, the Olympics ensures it is brought to a whole different audience and without all the pomp and controversy. 

ICBM

Boxing is more in the spirit of the original Olympic Games than any of the team sports are.

JerkMoans

I say go the whole hog with these one on one combat sports. Retiarii vs murmillones.  Conor McGregor vs a chimp armed with a hammer. 

EricTheWeary

menamestom said:

Amateur boxing is a different sport in many ways and to that end the Olympics is the pinnacle in that respect.
It's also much closer to what many people will get involved with in boxing with the rise of the white collar and charity events.

I think it should stay. The pinnacle of boxing is so often a freak show which not everybody can access easily unless you have subscriptions and then PPV, the Olympics ensures it is brought to a whole different audience and without all the pomp and controversy. 

I don't know that much about it but certainly there is the impression that amateur and pro boxing are quite different. 

Boxing is more in the spirit of the original Olympic Games than any of the team sports are.

The modern (1896 onward) Olympic games are essentially military exercises so I guess it is, although it wasn't there from the start ( became an Olympic sport in 1904, dropped in 1908 as it was banned in Sweden and then restarted - according to Wikipedia). 

I don't like boxing but I can certainly see arguments for keeping it in the Olympics. 

munckee

I think its an incredibly skilful sport done properly and I watch it a lot.  I take the point that there are world championships and also amateur world cups, golden gloves etc so can understand it making way, but that would also mean removing golf, football, tennis etc.

I'm really liking the idea of watching a chimp with a hammer taking connor mcgregor. who annoys me immensely.

usedtobe

I find it difficult to watch boxing as I get older, but I find amateur boxing a slightly easier watch.. probably due to the shorter bouts, and perceived lower risk of permanent damage/death.
 I willingly acknowledge the skill and balls involved, but if I never saw two guys punching each other about the head, ever again, I wouldn’t miss it..

axisus

Boxing is a great olympic sport but they should have kept it to amateur status. 

Get rid of stuff that ISN'T A SPORT!!!! - Dressage and synchronised swimming to name a couple.

Heartfeltdawn

axisus said:

Boxing is a great olympic sport but they should have kept it to amateur status. 

Get rid of stuff that ISN'T A SPORT!!!! - Dressage and synchronised swimming to name a couple.

Running, javelin, relays, track and field... all not sports. Be a ruddy boring Olympics without that. 

JerkMoans

axisus said:

Boxing is a great olympic sport but they should have kept it to amateur status. 

Get rid of stuff that ISN'T A SPORT!!!! - Dressage and synchronised swimming to name a couple.

Do you have any idea how difficult the latter is?

Clarky

axisus said:

Boxing is a great olympic sport but they should have kept it to amateur status. 

Get rid of stuff that ISN'T A SPORT!!!! - Dressage and synchronised swimming to name a couple.

I agree.. 
so no EA Sports playstation events... lol..

the other thing with boxing is that the physical conditioning of boxers is phenomenal..

it does surprise me that some things I think of as being games are considered to be sports
snooker and darts for example.. the pro's consider themselves to be sportsmen, but they're games..

thinking on it.. what's actually the difference between a game and a sport?
I've always thought of a sport as being something physical that requires physical conditioning..
things where you race, jump, swim, fight, lift, throw, skate, ski etc..
dunno.. I guess there's a bit of a blurry line.. cos discus throws and that looks like a sport to me..
but darts throws and that looks like a game

JerkMoans

Clarky said:

axisus said:

Boxing is a great olympic sport but they should have kept it to amateur status. 

Get rid of stuff that ISN'T A SPORT!!!! - Dressage and synchronised swimming to name a couple.

I agree.. 
so no EA Sports playstation events... lol..

the other thing with boxing is that the physical conditioning of boxers is phenomenal..

it does surprise me that some things I think of as being games are considered to be sports
snooker and darts for example.. the pro's consider themselves to be sportsmen, but they're games..

thinking on it.. what's actually the difference between a game and a sport?
I've always thought of a sport as being something physical that requires physical conditioning..
things where you race, jump, swim, fight, lift, throw, skate, ski etc..
dunno.. I guess there's a bit of a blurry line.. cos discus throws and that looks like a sport to me..
but darts throws and that looks like a game

Depends upon one can sup pints whilst engaging in said activity.