The London 2012 Olympics: Sports discussion

[denphone]

Originally Posted by danielf

I don't consider it cheating, although what they did was rather blatant. There's plenty examples of athletes who don't perform at their best in races that don't matter too much in order to avoid showing the opposition how strong they really are. Are they cheats as well?

Is a football team that rests players for less important matches cheating?

I think you're better off thinking of a format where losing doesn't help.

But dan they cheated themselves and they cheated the crowd who paid all that money only for them to do that and perhaps cheating is a strong word but l can't think of any other word to describe it.

[danielf]

Originally Posted by denphone

But dan they cheated themselves and they cheated the crowd who paid all that money only for them to do that and perhaps cheating is a strong word but l can't think of any other word to describe it.

I agree that it must have been a shambles for the crowd that paid good money to watch some quality sports, but I don't think the outcome makes for the best spectacle either. Presumably, 4 other couples that were beaten will now be reinstated. So the crowds will be looking at poorer couples in the quarters now.The alternative is to scrap two quarter finals. Hardly a crowd pleaser either.

I do think it was a blatant attempt to affect the results, but I don't think it's that different from a football team that rests key players, or decides that coming second in the group gives you a more favourable opponent, so they don't give it their all. It's not pretty, but it does happen. Perhaps not as blatantly as in this case, but it does happen. Personaly, I think a stern warning would have been the better option here.

---------- Post added at 15:15 ---------- Previous post was at 15:07 ----------

Amazing to see these crowds on a British road for the time trial

[gazzae]

Originally Posted by danielf

I don't consider it cheating, although what they did was rather blatant. There's plenty examples of athletes who don't perform at their best in races that don't matter too much in order to avoid showing the opposition how strong they really are. Are they cheats as well?

Is a football team that rests players for less important matches cheating?

I think you're better off thinking of a format where losing doesn't help.

There is a difference between resting or taking your foot off the gas to absolutely blatant attempts to lose.

I’d would say it was more like a football team deliberately and repeatedly scoring own goals.

Yes it was an error to have the format of the competition to put players in a position where losing was beneficial for them but I do think they deserved to be disqualified.

[danielf]

Originally Posted by gazzae

There is a difference between resting or taking your foot off the gas to absolutely blatant attempts to lose.

I’d would say it was more like a football team deliberately and repeatedly scoring own goals.

Yes it was an error to have the format of the competition to put players in a position where losing was beneficial for them but I do think they deserved to be disqualified.

Nice analogy

I can see your side of the argument, but I don't think that taking potential champions out is the right solution either. I'd be looking at a different format for the tournament.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Ge...A_World_Cup%29

Come on Wiggins!

Originally Posted by danielf

True, but the question also is if we're now seeing the best Athletes competing for the medals. Not having the best Athletes isn't exactly in the Olympic spirit either is it?

Well sorry that's not the point..It's about competing and if the result is that the best are disqualified for cheating too damned bad..they have broken the oath.

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Maggy J

Well sorry that's not the point..It's about competing and if the result is that the best are disqualified for cheating too damned bad..they have broken the oath.

Look, they didn't cheat. They'd already qualified. No-one (except the crowd) lost out because of what they did. And don't give me that rubbish about the oath. Nobody cares about that. They tried to get the best result they could, and the format encouraged them to lose.

Originally Posted by danielf

Look, they didn't cheat. They'd already qualified. No-one (except the crowd) lost out because of what they did. And don't give me that rubbish about the oath. Nobody cares about that. They tried to get the best result they could, and the format encouraged them to lose.

I think you will find that they do.Which is why the disqualification.

GOLD!!!!

Arise Sir Bradley Wiggins!

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Damien

GOLD!!!!

Arise Sir Bradley Wiggins!

Brilliant.

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Maggy J

I think you will find that they do.Which is why the disqualification.

No. They were thrown out for breaking the players' code of the World Badminton Federation.

Officials from the Badminton World Federation, the sport’s governing body, determined that the four sets of women violated the Players’ Code of Conduct, Sections 4.5 and 4.6, for “not using one’s best efforts to win a match� and “conducting oneself in a manner that is clearly abusive or detrimental to the sport.�

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012...ified-olympics

The IOC or the Olympic oath didn't come into it. The WBF threw them out.

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Well done Wiggo!!!

Britain's greatest sportsman?

If I have done my calculations correctly. This puts us in 10th place on the Medals table.

[Julian]

Originally Posted by Mick

If I have done my calculations correctly. This puts us in 10th place on the Medals table.

You have indeed.

LINKY

[Shadow Demon UK]

Originally Posted by Damien

Britain's greatest sportsman?

Definitely Britains coolest sportsman