Conversation came up last night when a friend was talking about how silly it is that break dancing is in the Olympics and I asked how it is different than gymnastics, especially the floor routine. So we were discussing should subjective sports that require judges be in the Olympics at all. Take note this is an all-or- nothing question. While I think stuff like break dancing or rhythmic gymnastics don't need to be in Olympics, something like boxing or diving are classics Subjective sports off the top of my head: Gymnastics Boxing Figure skating Diving Skateboarding/snowboarding/skiing skills Equestrian
Yeah I’d prefer all sports be able to be measured objectively but it’s just not possible. I‘d add any sport that has refs/umpires to your list as well. tennis, soccer, hockey, football, baseball etc.
Doesn't every sport have some sort or rulekeeper though? I realize they play a larger role in something like soccer, but I imagine there are refs at every competition in even a minor role
I think the beauty of the Olympics is the best of the best get to show their skills. I am less concerned with who wins but who just excells
The best ratings for Olympics are gymnastics in the summer and skating in the winter. Judging adds drama. Some of the best moments in Olympic history have been in judged events. Kari Strug putting the weight of the nation on her shoulders and doing a near perfect vault with a sprained ankle sticking the landing and then pulling it up to win the team all around? Mary Lou Retton lands a "10" on the vault and on the floor to clinch the all around for the first time ever for an American. Nancy Kerrigan getting attacked. Ok, not that last one.
I've always thought the purest competition was "See that line? Whoever gets there first wins." Have also always thought it was weird how a sport like skateboarding, so free and even a bit rebellious, ended up like gymnastics and figure skating - he trying a double kowtow to a backside inward fakie with 360 hip shimmy! And he nailed it!
A lot of controversy around the Synchronized Diving competition. One dive in particular by the historically dominant Chinese team was seen as very poorly synchronized, which was pointed out immediately by announcers (as it was pretty obvious). They then received almost exactly the same score that they usually do.
Didn't see it but said something similar to my wife during the diving prelims. China gets extra points based on reputation and the expectation that they are basically perfect.
Saw it and as a casual observer I aid as much to my wife before they even scored the dive. It was that obvious. I would think that has to be disheartening to the competition.
Apparently one of the most corrupt Olympic sports it saber fencing, because there is a subjective element. Those things make it prone to corruption, but ultimately I think any sport can be subverted given the money involved in the games.
Most of the subjective scoring sports are not as subjective as you think. The degree of difficulty of the stunt, dive or routine, etc are taken into account.
And surfing. I voted yes because so many people like watching them. Some seem ridiculous though, like dancing with a ribbon and breakdancing. Some of what I’ve enjoyed watching the most so far has been the men and women's rugby. It’s only seven aside, instead of 15, and the game is much shorter and faster.
I was just reading about that… I thought that was a cut and dry scoring sport because they have touch detectors, but I guess matches can be fixed by refs who can disqualify touches and taking away points….. apparently there was controversy in the US scoring that may have allowed a fencer to advance to the Olympic team that probably shouldn’t have, and she was eliminated in the first round… Fencing enters Olympics under cloud of accusations and referee bans
