From: fielden@spot.Colorado.EDU (j.a. fielden)
Subject: Re: Banned Techniques
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 16:15:55 GMT

In article <1992Aug12.141810.8650@walter.bellcore.com> kenl@origami.cc.bellcore.com (Ken Lehner) writes:
>In article <2275@tymix.Tymnet.COM>, douge@tigger.tymnet.com (Doug Ellenberg) writes:
>(unknown other author quoted)
>|> >>   
>|> >>  In Seoul, 1988, another Japanese swimmer Suzuki won a gold medal for
>|> >>backstroke. His swimming was charcterized by very long Basaro (sp?) start,
>|> >>the start going under the water with a dolphin kick, which pushed him 
>|> >>up to #1 in the world. After the Seoul Olympic, the international rule was 
>|> >>changed so that the Basaro start was allowed to use only for a limited 
>|> >>distance, which made Suzuki less competitive.
>|> >
>
>Not quite.  It was the "Berkoff blastoff", named after Harvard swimmer David
>Berkoff, who was the #1 swimmer before, during, and after the Seoul games (he
>held the world record, took the silver in the 100m, and broke his own world
>record as the leadoff leg in the 4x100 medley relay).  They banned it because
>they felt it was no longer the backstroke.  (BTW, Mr. Berkoff got the bronze
>in '92, coming out of retirement).
>
>Trivia:  do you know how the butterfly came about?  Way back, someone realized
>that the rules governing the breaststroke did not disallow an over-the-water
>recovery of the arms.  This person (nationality unknown to me) went on to win
>the Olympics using this technique.  The powers-that-be felt that this was
>differed enough from the breaststroke to set up rules for a new stroke.
>
>|> >>  In the Olympic Games, perhaps, it is something very unnatural for a 
>|> >>Japanese swimmer to win a gold, and someone might start to say, "There must
>|> >>be something wrong with the rule. Otherwise, there is no reason for a 
>|> >>Japanese to win."
>|> >
>|> >Agree ! In fact in almost every branch of sport, there are
>|> >changes that made to favour let's say western country like
>|> >Europe and USA. For example in Badminton, China invented a
>|> >spinning serve which was banned after they dominated almost
>|> >every tournament. Just what is wrong with it ? I believe
>|> >creativity in any sporting event. If you can invent something
>|> >new use it ! 
>|> 
>|>   Like they didn't ban the Fosbury Flop because it was invented
>|>   by an American.  I don't see why they should ban new techniques
>|>   either.  I suppose one could ban the slam-dunk in basketball
>|>   too, while they're at it.
>
>The slam dunk used to be banned in NCAA, and I believe it used to be banned in
>the Olympics.  To say that the Flop wasn't banned because Dick Fosbury was a US
>athlete is utterly ridiculous (look at Berkoff above).
>
>|> And the last comment on the Fosbury Flop is comparing apples
>|> to oranges.  How many gymnastic moves are named after Americans
>|> or Western Europeans?
>|> Very few.  Most are Japanese and former Soviets.  Adding something
>|> to a sport and bending the rules are two different things.  Why
>
>Probably because these gymnasts have not been innovators.  There are
>exceptions:  the [Kurt] Thomas flair (invented for pommel horse, now used on
>parallel bars and floor), and the [Mitch] Gaylord, used on high bar.

 And the Okino named for Betty Okino. Not an official move yet but
well on it's way to becoming one. 

The Thomas flair became know as that because he was one of the first to
do a move invented on pommel horse on the floor. 

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