Olympic Football

[Morgan Spice]

Hey,

Could somebody explain to me why Olympic Football squads are allowed to have professional players in their teams?  I thought that the Olympics were for amateur sportspersons.

Brazil and other nations have been naming a few well known professional players in their teams.

I've never really thought about what track and field athletes do to support themselves in their lives when they are training etc either come to think of it or if sponsorship and grants cover them.

[Guest birdog]

I think it was back in the early '90s that it was discussed athletes made a good living from sponsorship so pro footballers (the top sportsmen in their chosen sport) would be allowed to enter the games so long as they were not paid a wage for their participation in the games.

EDIT- Here is the actual reason:-

WHO CAN PLAY FOR THEIR NATION?

Before 1984 only amateur players were allowed to play in the Olympic Soccer tournament which led to a decline in interest in the competition. For the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed nations from Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Central America and the Caribbean to field their professional national sides while nations from Europe and South America could field professionals who hadn't yet competed in the FIFA World Cup.

Since 1992, the IOC has changed the rules again to make the Olympic Soccer tournament an Under 23 competition while allowing three over-age players into each national squad. Players are allowed to be professionals now and the current rules have allowed players such as Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez and Alberto Gilardino to compete.

Source

[Morgan Spice]

Thanks,

That would make sense if they aren't getting paid.  Barcelona have blocked Ronaldinho from attending due to it being outside of Fifa regulations so they can't be punished.  I wonder if other teams will follow suit.

[CaleyD]

Some nations just can't see beyond the possibility of a bit of silverware and respect the "spirit of the games" IMO.  Yes it's difficult to exclude professionals in this day and age (especially footballers), and I think the IOC have done what they can by making it an U23 tournament, but the nations themselves really shouldn't be including big name players.

Some of these players should never be asked in the first place, clubs should be discouraging it and the players themselves should be rejecting invitations.

Theirs ample opportunity for the professionals to ply their trade on the international stage, so step back and give the rest a chance would be my message.

[Charles Bannerman]

I was brought up in the era when you were banned for life if you acepted threepence at the Sunday School picnic. (Now it seems it's difficult to be banned for life if you are an out and out drugs cheat who has made a mockery of sport but that's not what we're talking about here. I can only wait in hope until Thursday's court verdict.)

Things have changed drastically within the Olympic movement since that earlier Alf Tupper generation and effectively most participants are professional sportspeople. Apart from football as mentioned, professional tennis stars also take part and (as opposed to Gullikson and Gullikson ) we will now have Murray and Murray representing GB in the Games.

When Baron de Coubertin founded the modern Games in 1896, this was an era when the upper classes kept the proles in their places by imposing a totally "amateur" closed shop on sport. This was still very much the case in many sports when I was growing up in the 60s but over the last 30 years or so the whole situation, including the Olympic movement which has become highly financially motivated, has changed. Nowadays overprivileged Oxbridge Twats who don't have to work for a living don't have the same advantage over the Man in the Street who fixes people's cars before buying his fish supper and heading for the track where, after a dramatic sprint finish, crosses the line with the immortal words "I run 'im"!

In fact Tough of the Track was an early statement against this Corinthian exclusivity and in the Alf Tupper cartoons the posh guys were always supercilious cheating gits who usually came out on top... except when our Alf "run 'em". (Occasionally, on a more Jingoistic note Alf instead "run" slightly dodgy Johnny Foreigners who were just as capable of sharp practice.)

Anyway, I digress. Without going into the down sides of professionalised sport (such as an enhanced temptation to take drugs when money is at stake), changes like this have certainly opened up opportunities to the genuinely talented from whatever background, rather than favour Lord Snooty and his pals.

[Council Juice]

Pro tennis players do represent their nations in the Olympics and alot of the top sports persons there like Mark Thorpe (whos now retired from swimming at like 25 because he's minted and won so much he doesnt care any more) make so much money through sponsorship it's very hard to call them amateurs in the true sense of the word.

[chris123]

I was always under the impression that tennis players were technically not professionals and made all their money off of sponsership, prize money and the like?

[RednBlackComeback]

I read that Coe wants sir Alex to boss an olympic team !!!

Being a proud scot I can imagine sir Alex's reply to be along the lines of "Go and get f~@cK%d Sebastian"  :33: :33: :33: :blah01: :blah01:

[tm4tj]

The Olympic Tournament has started now, Germany v Brazil on Eurosport. (women)

[KingBeastie]

I think I'd rather watch coronation street or eastenders than the olympics (and thats saying something).

I would rather support ross c*unty than any GB football team.

[caley100]

Is there an internet link Mannie?

[tm4tj]

Have a look at the bbc sport web page dick.

[caley100]

Ahh so venerable one.. the old wise one speaks the truth...

[tm4tj]

Hey dick, don't call me ahh so :o

[Zoid]

BOA chairman Lord Moynihan seems convinced there will be a "Team GB" for 2012. Whether this consists soley of Englishmen or a composition of Brits remains to be seen.

Surely a better option would be to bring back the Home Internationals in 2011, playing home and away with the winners representing "GB" at 2012?

That way a British Olympic football team would not affect the privileges of the four associations as members of Fifa

[caley100]

I think I'd rather watch coronation street or eastenders than the olympics (and thats saying something).

I would rather support ross c*unty than any GB football team.

Dont know mate, some of that synchronised swimming can pretty nailbiting stuff...

[tm4tj]

Mens footie starting just now, first up Brazil v Belgium

Ronaldinho playing.

[caley100]

See shyte refereeing has hit the olympics, the last sending off there in the Brazil/Belgium match was a farce, the Defender was about a metre away from the Brazilian when he went down... crazy

[chris123]

Messi in Argentian starting 11.

[Yngwie]

Where are these Olympics being held? I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere.

[starchief]

Just watched my home country Canada beat Argentina 2-0!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chris

(shhh! nobody mention it was womens' football)

[PullMyFinger]

Just watched my home country Canada beat Argentina 2-0!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chris

(shhh! nobody mention it was womens' football)

Was Hastings playing?