Federer and Nadal: Professionals at the Olympics
Join the debate on whether professionals should play in the Olympics. < Back to Story
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| G | S | B | Tot | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHN | 51 | 21 | 28 | 100 |
| 2 | USA | 36 | 38 | 36 | 110 |
| 3 | RUS | 23 | 21 | 28 | 72 |
| 4 | GBR | 19 | 13 | 15 | 47 |
| 5 | GER | 16 | 10 | 15 | 41 |
| 6 | AUS | 14 | 15 | 17 | 46 |
Keep the Olympics amateur?
Join the debate on whether the Olympics has become too professional.
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Comments (103)
Bob Dicker says...
why are all these super stars of the footballing world and tennis aloud to be in the games but then NOT boxing
Posted 13:33 12th August 2008
Edward Sayers says...
The Olympics were designed to be a competition for the top amateurs of the world. It has now become a money making machine. If we cant get back to true amateurism then why have it?. You have the World & European championships in football, major championships in tennis, many championships in swimming and athletics why let the pro's take over the Olympics. People still clamored to get tickets when it was true amateurs and would again. Lets get back to amateurs only.
Posted 12:45 12th August 2008
Robert Seymour says...
I think the issue is not really whether there should be an amateur/professional divide which is a difficult to police. My view is that what matters is that the olympics represents the pinnacle of any sport which participates: Those involved in athelics, swimming, archery, rifle shooting, sailing etc dream of olympic glory whatever their funding status. Those involved in tennis dream of winning grand slams and footballers want to win world cups and the top club competitions. Whilst that situation continues football and tennis should not be in the olympics and the others I mentioned should. I don't want to watch olympic football but I love world cups. It is likely that the sports where olympics represents the pinnacle happen to be largely amateur sports but that is a consequence of history and need not be a statement of principal
Posted 11:36 12th August 2008
Derek Buckingham says...
There is no such thing as amateurs anymore, even the lowest athlete receives funding from the Lottery or others.
Posted 11:25 12th August 2008
Chris Stevenson says...
Professionals have their own World class competitions. This is one of the few Great events that amatuers have a chance of shining at. I personaly do not believe there should be professionals within the Olympics. Yes that would mean taking football out of the competition, oh no! but most teams dont let their best players attend as the season has started. Anyway Football is on TV for most of the year EVERY year, the Olympics only take place once every 4 years give the amatuers a chance.
Posted 09:17 12th August 2008
Jay Tops says...
it would be so boring if the pros was not there the olypics is ment to be a sectecal of greatness whats the point if the greatest sports people are not there.
Posted 09:03 12th August 2008
Oliver Emmerson says...
they shouldnt necsacerialy be not allowed to enter but if tennis pros enter why cant boxing pros enter?
Posted 23:20 11th August 2008
Derek Slater says...
I understand that the worlds greatest tennis players playing in the Olympics means big crowds, but it still does not get away from the fact that professionals should not be there. Everybody should have a chance , i think that the big worry is that nobody would watch the tennis if there were no big names. What does the Olympic games mean .
Posted 21:42 11th August 2008
Isaac Odemwingie says...
I Think Gb Has Done Very Poorly In These Olympics Nd Nigeria 2 Win Most Medals!!!!
Posted 21:19 11th August 2008
Larry Kelly says...
they stippied jim thorp of his gold medal, so i don't believe any professenals should be allowed to play & take the chance away from an amature. in billiards if you are a pro you can play in a qualirier but you can't win the quailfier, same should be in the in winning a gold medal.JUST NOT RIGHT
Posted 19:31 11th August 2008
Michael Adekeye says...
just like football three overage players, so the armature should be given a chance to participate fully in the events. to show how desperate the USA team were they brought all there NBA STAR, tell me it will take more than strength to defeat them. so now where are the armature in the NBA league?.
Posted 16:04 11th August 2008
John Grant says...
What's the point in having a gold medal from the Olympics if deep down you know you're still not the best? Get the professionals in!!!
Posted 15:49 11th August 2008
John Saxton says...
The main difference between amateur and professional has always been access to training facilities, equipment and health care. Professional sportmen and sportswomen do not have the day-to-day problems of having to fit their sporting activities around earning a living. These superb athletes / sporting greats have the luxury of personal trainers, dieticians, physiotherapists, etc. on a daily basis - not just when a major event is about to take place. Top sports men / women have the financial luxury of not having to 'worry' about success or failure. Yes, they do train very hard indeed, but it is so much easier with the best equipment and facilities, the best trainers and advisors - and if the weather is not really suitable, don't interupt the training programme just hop on a plane and go to wherever is most suitable. If injury occurs in training or in competition the best is always available at the end of a phone. Access to the finest health care in the world is a luxury that most amateurs can not even dream about. Can you really imagine Roger Federer queing up at the local A & E for treatment of a suspected hamstring injury? He would be 'scanned' at the earliest opportunity at a private facility and any form of treatment needed would be immediate and certainly the best in the world. These are the differences between amateur and professional. In sport, where failure is measured in thousandths of a second or in centimetres, throwing enough money at it virtually guarantees success. Amir Khan made a choice between staying amateur in the hope that he could win a boxing 'gold', or turn professional and put boxing 'gold' into his bank account. If we can have professional tennis players, football players and basketball players competing at the Olympics - why not professional boxers? I have no problem with professionals - let them stick to their highly paid 'competitions' and leave the amateurs alone!
Posted 14:53 11th August 2008
Thomas Lewis says...
If your going to take professionals out of the olympics, then you will have to take football out of it. All players playing for there country in the olympics are professionals. Taking Professionals out of the olympics simply wont work
Posted 14:37 11th August 2008
Neill Alcorn says...
If 1 Professional can participate, then every country should put forward their best athletes for every olympic event.. this will not only decide which country has the best actual athletes but for the team events such as football it will take the olympics to another level making it more exciting than watching amateur sport! If the olympics were good enough for Cassius Clay then no athlete can say that they are too good to compete!
Posted 14:36 11th August 2008
Mohr Sare says...
To be an arm chair sports man, does not mean you cant compete with prof, and we wanted this prof to prove themselves.Some of this Pro are fakes and i hate fake sports man. By playin with arm chair and harmin 1-1000 to 0 proves them, thats shows their super
Posted 13:56 11th August 2008
Thomas Lewis says...
Yh they should be allowed, at the end of the day, there the best from that country, and the olympics is about bringing the best competitors together to compete. If profesionals are not allowed to compete, the olympics would not be as popular as it currently is.
Posted 13:42 11th August 2008
Jackie Wadey says...
We seem to moving everfurther away from the amatuer status of the original games. When you see the paralympics and how little support is given because they do not have the "names" or media coverage you wonder if we have lost perspective. The London olympics could give the world the chance to reafirm the original ideal and lets not succumb to the "I can do better than you" opening ceremony - lets just celebrate the athletes who are taking part.
Posted 13:32 11th August 2008
Nathan Summerfield says...
The Olympics is the biggest sporting event we have in the world. Whats the point in being the olympic champion if it doesnt mean your the best at that time. Professionals get paid because they are the best and thats what people want to see. The rest get weeded out at the trials or dont even makeit into their respective sports. Best of the best definatly!
Posted 12:56 11th August 2008
Mark Whitmore says...
if professionals came into the olympics then the views would just go down. People watch the Olympics to watch new talent in their country and if professionals cam in, it would basically be boring. it would be the same people winning all the time, take football for instance, it's going to be the likes of Frank Lampard, Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabrigas winning all the time and the amateurs aren't going to be the stars anymore. their not going to get the gold medals and their not going to have a good time. So, should professionals be aloud in the olympics? No
Posted 10:50 11th August 2008