Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics,rec.bicycles
Subject: Re: Atlanta '96 : Pro cyclists in ?
From: swayzed@brandonu.ca
Date: 12 Aug 92 14:54:04 CST
Organization: Brandon University, Brandon, Manitoba, Canada

In article <1658@spam.ua.oz>, dcook@spam.ua.oz (David Cook) writes:
> Hello all,
>   On the radio this morning, I heard a story about FISA (international
> body controlling soccer) refusing to remove the 23 year age limit on
> soccer players in the Olympics ('to protect the World Cup', they said).
> Just after this, they mentioned (in passing) that cycling was one area
> where professionals _would_ be included by '96. Does anyone have any
> further information on this ? 
> 
> Just imagine Indurain in the 4km indiv. pursuit, or Panasonic in the
> 100km TTT. Abdujaperov, Museew, Jalabert & co in the sprints ? Wow :-)
> 
> Unfortunately, it'll be a few years too late to see Danny Clark
> (an Australian, and one of the best 6-day riders ever) in something
> like the 50km point score.

It is my sincere hope that this rush to include professional atheletes soon
loses steam as I think it would be an absolute tragedy. The amateur athelete
is a heroic individual. He or she is the person who has to struggle to make
ends meet; who depends on meager government handouts, who trains after school
or after work. I realize that some, like Ben Johnson, or Carl Lewis make
over 6 figures a year from product endorsements, but the vast majority of
Olympic atheletes don't. 

Pro's on the other hand have the luxury of doing nothing but training. They
are paid to train and paid to play. It is true that they were amateur
atheletes once, but they are amateurs no more. Furthermore, they are tainted
by their professionalism. Take the dream team and their silly squabbling over
product endorsements and which uniform to wear, or the fact that they didn't
even stay in the atheletes village.

Do we really want to see the Olympics become an even greater commercial event
than it already is? I used to look forward to the Olympics so I could see the
amateur atheletes who you don't normally see. Why would I want to see pro's
in the Olympics when I can see pro's almost everywhere else? We have the
Tour de France, Tour du Pont, World Championships, Paris-Roubaix, Grand Prix
des Ameriques and an entire calendar of pro cycling events. Why add the
Olympics?

It seems to me that the problem is that the Olympics are now far too
commercial. Don't get me wrong. I have no problem with Coke and Kodak trying
to make a buck. (Hey I use their products) But if the attitude is that we have
to get pro atheletes in the Olympics to boost ratings so that the sponsors get
more of a return on their investment then there is something seriously wrong.
The purpose of the Olympics is not to line the pockets of major sponsors. The
purpose of the Olympics is to showcase the great talent that is out there, to
show the world the future professional atheletes.

I will be very disappointed if pro cyclists are in the next Olympics and I
will be even more disappointed if the Olympics in the year 2000 are nothing
more than the 'All-Star' game for every major professional sport.

-- 
 
David Swayze        | SWAYZED@BrandonU.CA    | Reading furnishes the mind only
Brandon University  | Canada (pokey) Post:   | with materials of knowledge; it
Brandon, Manitoba   | 56 Wilnor Bay          | is thinking which makes what we
Canada              | Brandon, MB, R7B 3H1   | read ours.           John Locke