Boycotting the Olympics?

[Matt79]

Anyone else thinking of just boycotting this year's Olympics? It's full of sports that I don't care about for 206 out of every 208 weeks, with competitors who always turn out to be on performance enhancing drugs, plus despite pipe-dreams about separating sport from politics it's serving to legitimise and celebrate current Chinese government despite the various crappy things that government has been doing and will no doubt continue to do. Just reckon, despite my normal bloke's ability to get into any televised sport after 10 minutes of watching, that I'll give the whole thing a miss this Olympiad.

[silentstriker]

I don't know. Olympics are pretty harshly tested for steroids.

Really though, who cares about steroids? It's really the most overblown issue in sports today. My love of baseball hasn't lessened after the steroid era - it's just something for the talking heads to go on about. If it meant Phillies would win the world series, I'd pump them all up full of steroids myself. You're a guy who is on the borderline of being in the league, with a choice of making $1million minimum, or making $300/week playing in the minor leagues, and the choice is quite obvious in terms of what you'd do.

With respect to China and democracy, I'd probably agree with you. But while I don't really enjoy most of the sports, I think when it starts, people will forget about it and just enjoy the games.

[Matt79]

Totally disagree with you on steroids. If a guy's taking steroids to be competitive, he's dog**** on the sole of the shoe of the sport in my view, and if its the case that a sport appears to be failing to deal with systemised doping, then it loses any appeal in my eyes. Difference of opinion I guess, but I like to know what I'm watching and feel that its the athlete and not his chemist who's the hero.

[_Ed_]

I certainly will be, to an extent. Usually I find it hard to get away from the TV even for sleep during the Olympics, but for the reasons you mentioned (mostly the Chinese government) I won't be taking much of an interest this time.

I've got a family friend in the NZ rowing team so I'll watch her races, not planning to watch much more than that though. Having said that, I'll still find it hard not to watch when there's a NZer in with a strong medal chance.

[silentstriker]

Originally Posted by Matt79

Totally disagree with you on steroids. If a guy's taking steroids to be competitive, he's dog**** on the sole of the shoe of the sport in my view, and if its the case that a sport appears to be failing to deal with systemised doping, then it loses any appeal in my eyes. Difference of opinion I guess, but I like to know what I'm watching and feel that its the athlete and not his chemist who's the hero.

Steroids help, but they won't turn me into Barry Bonds anytime soon. Plus if enough people are taking it, it evens out.

[Prince EWS]

I'm not a huge fan of Olympic sports by any stretch of the imagination but I'll probably watch a fair amount of it anyway.

Boycotting it on political grounds is a nice idea (well you know what I mean ) but it's not actually a Chinese tournament as such - it's an IOC tournament staged in China with athletes from all over the world. I think boycotts of China could be better placed on Chinese merchandise than televised sport from the country, particularly given the nature of the Olympics themselves.

[Matt79]

Originally Posted by silentstriker

Steroids help, but they won't turn me into Barry Bonds anytime soon. Plus if enough people are taking it, it evens out.

Meh, that's just rationalising cheating in my view. They obviously make a difference - I know they don't turn fat slobs into champions, but they give an extra edge. No different from match-fixing in cricket or bribery in real life. Plus my sympathies lie with the poor honest competitors who aren't willing to roll the dice with their long term health/compromise their morals and who therefore probably don't even make the finals...

[Matt79]

Originally Posted by Prince EWS

I'm not a huge fan of Olympic sports by any stretch of the imagination but I'll probably watch a fair amount of it anyway.

Boycotting it on political grounds is a nice idea (well you know what I mean ) but it's not actually a Chinese tournament as such - it's an IOC tournament staged in China with athletes from all over the world. I think boycotts of China could be better placed on Chinese merchandise than televised sport from the country, particularly given the nature of the Olympics themselves.

That's a good point, albeit hard to do in practice. Plus stopping buying products made in China will cost working class people their jobs in the end, whereas not watching the OIympics won't. Moreover, I'm not saying that athletes should have to boycott it to support a political point of view if they don't want to, I'm just saying I'm not going to watch them or the event.

On a slightly new twist on the "Hitler - if you had a time machine" question, if you had a time machine and had the chance to attend the 1936 Berlin Olympics would you?

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Manan with some shocking views on good sportsmanship.

[Johnners]

Nah, Olympics ftw, could never boycott them. That and I don't have particularly strong feelings re: China.

[Matt79]

If I really liked the Olympics, if it were (for instance) the cricket World Cup, I probably wouldn't plan on boycotting. But given, as stated, I'm not a big wrap on the Olympics anyway, that's my plan. Maybe that's slightly hypocritical - I'm not sure.

[_Ed_]

Originally Posted by Matt79

On a slightly new twist on the "Hitler - if you had a time machine" question, if you had a time machine and had the chance to attend the 1936 Berlin Olympics would you?

Interesting question.

Inclined to say no, but Jesse Owens was an absolutely incredible athlete and must have been amazing to watch.

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by Matt79

That's a good point, albeit hard to do in practice. Plus stopping buying products made in China will cost working class people their jobs in the end, whereas not watching the OIympics won't.

That'd only happen if it was a widespread national boycott though (in which case new jobs would be created anyway due to the demand for non-Chinese substitute goods) - if there was a similarly widespread boycott to the Olympics, you'd see the extra staff Seven would have taken on for the event lose their jobs as well.

I wasn't suggesting something so large anyway though: merely a slightly more apt target for your household statement. We actually took it on in this household not long ago - we try our hardest to avoid Chinese goods wherever possible. As you said it's hard to implement - non-Chinese companies will often use Chinese parts for things without warning, especially in electronics, but it's our little stand I suppose.

Originally Posted by Matt79

If I really liked the Olympics, if it were (for instance) the cricket World Cup, I probably wouldn't plan on boycotting. But given, as stated, I'm not a big wrap on the Olympics anyway, that's my plan. Maybe that's slightly hypocritical - I'm not sure.

It is a bit, but go for it anyway I reckon. We all have our line in the sand when it comes to political ideals v convenience/enjoyment. I won't be doing it myself for the reasons I outlined in my first post in this thread but I don't think it's a bad stand to take, slightly hypocritical or not.

[Matt79]

Originally Posted by Prince EWS

That'd only happen if it was a widespread national boycott though (in which case new jobs would be created anyway due to the demand for non-Chinese substitute goods) - if there was a similarly widespread boycott to the Olympics, you'd see the extra staff Seven would have taken on for the event lose their jobs as well.

I wasn't suggesting something so large anyway though: merely a slightly more apt target for your household statement. We actually took it on in this household not long ago - we try our hardest to avoid Chinese goods wherever possible. As you said it's hard to implement - non-Chinese companies will often use Chinese parts for things without warning, especially in electronics, but it's our little stand I suppose.



It is a bit, but go for it anyway I reckon. We all have our line in the sand when it comes to political ideals v convenience/enjoyment. I won't be doing it myself for the reasons I outlined in my first post in this thread but I don't think it's a bad stand to take, slightly hypocritical or not.

Missing my point/I haven't explained myself well a bit. I don't want to boycott Chinese products because I have no problem with the Chinese people or China as a country. I have a problem with the current government and the Beijing Olympics have become very closely tied to the Chinese government. I don't really care if my shirt or car stereo is made in China as opposed to the US or even Australia.

[Johnners]

Originally Posted by Matt79

Missing my point/I haven't explained myself well a bit. I don't want to boycott Chinese products because I have no problem with the Chinese people or China as a country. I have a problem with the current government and the Beijing Olympics have become very closely tied to the Chinese government. I don't really care if my shirt or car stereo is made in China as opposed to the US or even Australia.

Disappointed to read the last sentence tbh, Australian made ftw.