Originally posted by lil bitchiness
You seem to have missed the point.Olympic Games were not designed for professionals, but amatures. It has grown to be professionals now, but it wasn't always so, nor was it intended originally to be so.
Actually that's quite wrong. The Olympic Games were designed for everyone and originally mostly professionals (i.e. people getting money for doing their sports) participated.
If you are talking about the modern Olympics, yes, they were designed to keep professionals out, not for the reason that we wish it had been today though, but for mere classism. The British Elites with their Amateur Clubs did not want to compete alongside the poorer classes so they only allowed amateurs, making it impossible for people that need to work for a living to compete. Not sure if I personally like that idea.
Originally posted by Devil King
Make them all nude and I might watch.
I had at first mistaken you for Robtard, and was going to make a comment about how incredibly gay of a comment this is, then I noticed that you're not Robtard. But, still. That's really gay. I know that you're, ya know. But still.
I agree with most people's sentiments, Olympics are already boring enough. If you want amateure talent then to go Amature talent games or whatever.
Who ever the best is for any country for any sport is most likely going to be in the Olympics no countries going to want someone who deosn't have a good chance in bringing home a medal, all the countries are competing against each other and are most likely going to have the best of the best on the team if you ain't close to the best then you most likely aren't going to be on that team
Re: Should Professional Athletes be allowed to enter the Olympic games?
Originally posted by CaptainStoic
It's always seemed a little weird to me, and somewhat unfair for the USA's Basketball team to be composed of the most dominant players on earth.
didn't the USA Basketball team lose several times...,and badly?
Originally posted by ragesRemorse
If you train year round for four years to compete in the Olympics you are a professional athlete. Just because you do not get paid to train doesn't mean dick. Yes, professionals should be allowed to attend the olympics.
The Belgian male hockey team was completely filled with amateurs for the reason that the sport is just as popular as sweeping behind an old men with diarrhee who's doing a marathon. They did get qualified (and actually turned pro for 2 months getting the whooping amount of 500 euro per month... for those unfamiliar with the value of money: it's nothing at all!); they got 9th and probably will revert back to being amature.
What I want to say with this example is that it is possible for players that aren't professional to qualify for the games... aint easy but it's possible.
Or does everyone mean with amature that they also aren't allowed to play (for free) in a league?
Professional althetes DO compete at the Olympics...the only thing is that the Olympics aren't a professional competition...there's no prize money...
the football was full of pro players...same with the tennis...
Athletics is no different either...they dont get prize money at the olympics but they do get it at other championships...Zurich in a few days is a $1,000,000 prize games...