RunningAHEAD - Topic: Olympics

Olympics - Amateur Status? (Read 339 times)

s.crissman

posted: 8/17/2008 at 2:33 PM
modified: 8/17/2008 at 2:36 PM

What are the rules regarding being a participant in the Olympics, w/ regard to being a professional vs. amateur?

I always was told that you had to be an amateur to participate, but on one hand you have some of the athletes who clearly run for a living. On the other hand you have NBA players who clearly get paid to play basketball. And on the third hand (work with me here) you have guys like Brian Sell who apparently work a normal job in addition to their training. It seems like they are all in the Olympics.

Someone who understands the system care to explain it?

[modified]
Nevermind, I see it did change at some point, according to this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympics#Amateurism_and_professionalism

mikedickbek view log	posted: 8/17/2008 at 9:05 PM
	From what I understand, they got rid of the professional rule a while ago. Not sure when. I was wondering this too the other day, so I searched around online. I was wondering why our baseball team was full of people I've never heard of. Turns out, it's in the middle of the MLB season, so they can't participate in the olympics. I think everyone can go to the olympics now though. I guess they changed it because they wanted the actual best from each country... most of which are pros. That's my understanding of it though. Not sure how accurate it is.
	~Mike

SimonR view log	posted: 8/18/2008 at 5:26 PM
	I think the rule was changed in 1992, Avery Brundage must be rolling in his grave. By about 1980 it was getting difficult to tell who was professional and who wasn't because of 1) Token "jobs" in the military. 2) Sports marketing and the associated sponsorship deals, arguably not jobs but certainly providing revenue. 3) Fees paid for appearances, coaching, endorsements etc. Simon.
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JakeKnight view log	posted: 8/18/2008 at 7:16 PM modified: 8/18/2008 at 7:17 PM
	Quote from s.crissman on 8/17/2008 at 2:33 PM: Someone who understands the system care to explain it? The short answer: geopolitics and money. Longer answer: when I was a kid, western countries followed ridiculously strict rules for amateurism (or to rephrase more accurately, did their best to at least pretend they were following said rules). Back then, the U.S. team was primarily current or former college athletes. In the sports where there are obvious clear demarcations between pro and amateur - basketball is the most obvious - rules were clear. And there were cases where they took it too far - where an athlete accepted some very minor "gift" or sponsorship and then had their Olympic eligibility yanked. Meanwhile, countries like the former Soviet Union got around the rules the easy way - they called everybody an amateur. Their hockey team was as "professional" as it gets. Of course so were their gymnasts and skaters and everything else. Since "professional" is pretty much defined as making a living doing something, and since their athletes were chosen at a young age and then never had to work ... because their sport was their work ... its hard to say they weren't professional. They'd skirt the rules by not paying a salary or wages - but the athletes were given housing, food, training, equipment ... all free. (And in some reported cases, lived like royalty compared to their countrymen). At some point between Seoul and Barcelona, it changed dramatically - although it had been decades coming. There are a lot of reasons, but they all come back to politics and money. And of course, some sports its hard to distinguish because they don't really have clear "pros." For marathoners, are you a pro if you have a sponsor? What if you're just good enough to get free entry, but nobody pays you a stipend? What if you get free shoes, but you still have a day job? Are you a pro? It's a little clearer when you're freakin' Maria Sharapova. If I understand it correctly now, while there are IOC rules, the individual sports can decide their own rules to a large extent - and certain sports have chosen very different routes. Obviously, most of the major sports now have professional millionaire athletes competing. It's pretty laughable that you recognize all the names on the baseball and hockey teams, or that both men in the recent Wimbledon tennis final are competing in the Olympics. So much for "amateur." But some sports have tried to remain true. As far as I know, boxing is still strict. You are amateur or pro, and if you've had a pro fight, you don't fight in the Olympics. That might have changed. Some boxing buff will correct me. If it hasn't changed, its kind of ironic, since some of the early controversy on this topic started in boxing. Shortest answer: I don't know. I don't get it much, either. But I miss the old days. There'll never be another 1980 hockey semi-final, because half our team will be New York Rangers or Detroit Red Wings.
	E-mail: JakeKnight2002@aol.com -----------------------------

John A view log	posted: 8/18/2008 at 7:23 PM modified: 8/18/2008 at 7:24 PM
	It all changed a few years ago....I think the pro's have hurt the olympics, but then again there was never a level playing field because the amateur from other countries were really pros...... Now pros can play and amateur can have corporate sponsorship (so in effect, they are also pros). So - what is - is what is..........
	2009 GOALs -30 MPW (MINIMUM weekly mileage) -5K time of 23:59 or faster -5 Mile time of 42:59 or faster -Half Marathon - 1Hr 59mins or faster -Run Bay State Marathon (completion - no time goal) Favorite Running Quote: Champions are made when no one is watching.

John A view log	posted: 8/18/2008 at 7:26 PM
	Quote from mikedickbek on 8/17/2008 at 9:05 PM: I guess they changed it because they wanted the actual best from each country... most of which are pros. I think this is specifically the answer.
	2009 GOALs -30 MPW (MINIMUM weekly mileage) -5K time of 23:59 or faster -5 Mile time of 42:59 or faster -Half Marathon - 1Hr 59mins or faster -Run Bay State Marathon (completion - no time goal) Favorite Running Quote: Champions are made when no one is watching.

AnneCA view log Sunrise	posted: 8/18/2008 at 7:31 PM
	I remember reading at the time that a driving force was the United States' embarrassment at having only received the bronze in basketball in 1988, losing to the Soviet Union in the semi-finals. 1992 was then the first "Dream Team" made up of NBA players. I appreciate the more complete view, because I have been blaming it on John Thompson.
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jEfFgObLuE view log Frustrating Project	posted: 8/18/2008 at 9:04 PM
	Quote from JakeKnight on 8/18/2008 at 7:16 PM: There'll never be another 1980 hockey semi-final, because half the Russian team will be Detroit Red Wings. fixed.
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srlopez Guy running in pink	posted: 8/18/2008 at 9:06 PM
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