Curious: Why are pro basketball and hockey players allowed to compete in the Olympic

[boonedoggle]

Tain't right, in my book. In the spirit of the Olympic games, these people should be the best ameauterus in the world. I guess the Olympic committee who votes on things, such as choosing which events allow professional atheletes, can be bought!

[[OT] Loki]

same reason the US softball team can't play.....

[mugen910]

Creates more of a audience IMHO. You don't hear much of the USA Baseball team do ya? But when they have the World Baseball games...it's all over the TV..

[Volt]

Originally Posted by boonedoggle

Tain't right, in my book. In the spirit of the Olympic games, these people should be the best ameauterus in the world. I guess the Olympic committee who votes on things, such as choosing which events allow professional atheletes, can be bought!

Not that I have a dog in this hunt as I really don't care one way or the other who competes.... But the diff between a pro b-ball player and a Gov trained, housed, medical, food, discrecionary cash athelete is???????

[boonedoggle]

Originally Posted by mugen910

Creates more of a audience IMHO. You don't hear much of the USA Baseball team do ya? But when they have the World Baseball games...it's all over the TV..

OK, SO why not let MLB dudes play?

[vstrommark]

Originally Posted by Volt

Not that I have a dog in this hunt as I really don't care one way or the other who competes.... But the diff between a pro b-ball player and a Gov trained, housed, medical, food, discrecionary cash athelete is???????

My recollection, when the rules were changed, was that this was a big part of the rationale for allowing pros.

I don't recall if the individual sports federations get to make the call or if it is an IOC decision as to which sports get to allow pros. But then, I haven't seen any Olympic competition since the early 90s, so it isn't like I care all that much.

[dunng]

Originally Posted by boonedoggle

OK, SO why not let MLB dudes play?

My guess it is due to the timing (during the regular season)...

[The Professor]

Originally Posted by vstrommark

My recollection, when the rules were changed, was that this was a big part of the rationale for allowing pros.

I don't recall if the individual sports federations get to make the call or if it is an IOC decision as to which sports get to allow pros. But then, I haven't seen any Olympic competition since the early 90s, so it isn't like I care all that much.

And for the record, Phelps is a "pro" (which is why he wasn't allowed to swim for Michigan when he was a student there). My point being that there may be more "pros" out there then you think....

Isn't this the year for the Olympics?

[macjoe53]

Originally Posted by boonedoggle

OK, SO why not let MLB dudes play?

They could probably play if they wanted to but since the summer Olympics usually happens during the meat of the MLB season I can understand why they don't.

I believe one of the primary rules for allowing the professional basketball and hockey players to participate was because other countries were basically paying all their athletes to train and it's still happening today in most countries for most sports. When you sit and listen about how the Chinese go to schools and pick out 3 year old girls and take them away from their parents and family so they can be Olympians, well you got to wonder if they are not professional athletes also. After all, the Chinese government pays all their living expenses, provides compensation for the family and gives the kids money.

One other thought, I bet if anyone did research into the ancient Olympics they would see that the participants were "paid" by their countries to represent them.

[poker]

Its all about the dollars.

[mosesbotbol]

The line between amateur and professional is quite thin and blurred at times. Many Olympic sports do not have a professional level and instead of tip toeing this line, they allowed pro’s to compete. Makes sense to me. They should crack down on citizenship and nationality more than whether someone has made a buck of their respective sport.

[boonedoggle]

Originally Posted by macjoe53

They could probably play if they wanted to but since the summer Olympics usually happens during the meat of the MLB season I can understand why they don't.

I believe one of the primary rules for allowing the professional basketball and hockey players to participate was because other countries were basically paying all their athletes to train and it's still happening today in most countries for most sports. When you sit and listen about how the Chinese go to schools and pick out 3 year old girls and take them away from their parents and family so they can be Olympians, well you got to wonder if they are not professional athletes also. After all, the Chinese government pays all their living expenses, provides compensation for the family and gives the kids money.

One other thought, I bet if anyone did research into the ancient Olympics they would see that the participants were "paid" by their countries to represent them.

One of the advantages in the Olympics of having a Communist government!

[uptown_cigar]

The IOC is one of the most corrupt organizations in the world (next to the UN, of course). I stopped trying to understand their reasoning years ago. Good question, though.

[hotreds]

Because pro athletes are allowed to participate in the Olympics now. Or, rather, "openly" professional athletes. It was becoming a joke with Eastern Bloc athletes competing against amateurs from the West. Those EB athletes were amateur in name only. They were basically supported by the state and given make-shift jobs or in the military. At least now there's no kidding anyone about the "status" of the participants. And, I think the results are a little more realistic, altho I have watched exactly 0 minutes of coverage this time.

I grew up in Europe and remember all the Eastern Bloc military athletes at these games. Also, those East German "female" swimmers!

There is also no way MLB would halt the season for the Olympics nor would teams be willing to let players go!

And yes, we can't have a sport like softball that is dominated by the USA! Better to have synchronized diving!