GB cyclists shocked by 2012 plan

[bobb]

GB cyclists shocked by 2012 plan

Why all the f*cking about? You don't hear things about track and field events being pulled, so why cycling?

[clarion]

That rumour's been in the air a long time, but it's a bit crap, really.  Individual Pursuit is one of the most exciting events for TV.

[MSeries]

Bah, they're just doing it to give the Australians and French a chance to win something in London. !! 

[DuncanM]

The proposal has been around for a while.  Basically the IOC said that cycling couldn't have any more events, and the UCI has been trying to equalise numbers between mens and womens races.

Why is cycling limited in the number of events, but there are hundreds of different (but almost the same) swimming events?

[gordon taylor]

Why is cycling limited in the number of events, but there are hundreds of different (but almost the same) swimming events?

I don't know, but could it because eight people compete together in swimming (more competitors in fewer heats?) whereas only one team or two people are riding in most cycling events?

[DuncanM]

That might make a little sense, if they weren't dropping the points and the madison events, both of which have more than 8 people on track at any one time.

[Jaded]

Cycling, like rowing, is elitist.

Swimming produces Olympic 'Aaah's like Eddie the Eel, or what ever his name was.

[Rich753]

In practice it doesn't seem that swimming is a particularly global sport - I don't follow it much but don't see many black or asian athletes in the races.  Seems to me to be dominated by white europeans/americans/aussies.

Directly counter to the Olympic ideal, as far as I can see, so very unclear why they get so many events.

[andygates]

Hang on, swimming is racist?  That's a reach.

Swim strokes are markedly different.  If there was elite-grade handcycling, that might mark a character change on a par with the difference.

It's worth pointing out that there's no track running Madison.  Not every weird game variant gets everywhere...

And having said that, solo events are clearly less elitist than team ones.

[sg37409]

If events are not distinct enough as to allow someone to win loads of golds, I think there are too many of these events.

[Rich753]

Not suggesting that swimming is racist, just that it doesn't appear to be very inclusive. Which isn't an argument against it being included in the OG, but does make me question why there are so many events.

And it does make me laugh that swimming has a contest to see how fast one can swim backwards. On that basis why isn't there a 100m running backwards race on the track?

[FatBloke]

In practice it doesn't seem that swimming is a particularly global sport - I don't follow it much but don't see many black or asian athletes in the races. 

Heavy bones. They sink you see.   

Unless you included the Chinese in your "asian" classification. The Chinese are (occasionally) the best swimmers in the world!!!  (And they have the best bio-chemists!      )

[FatBloke]

...it does make me laugh that swimming has a contest to see how fast one can swim backwards. On that basis why isn't there a 100m running backwards race on the track?

They swim in exactly the same direction in all events, just facing different directions! 

[ghostrider]

In practice it doesn't seem that swimming is a particularly global sport - I don't follow it much but don't see many black or asian athletes in the races.  Seems to me to be dominated by white europeans/americans/aussies.

Directly counter to the Olympic ideal, as far as I can see, so very unclear why they get so many events.

CRI Reports There are quite a few Asian swimmers but they are dogged by dopping allegations.