WAG Changing the Olympic team from 5 to 4....

[seoulmama]

Just read this article on USA Today. Wondering if the vote will change the size from 5 to 4?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...s-london-beijing-team-size-proposal/27095189/

 

[Empowered]

This has been discussed already on another thread about the difference between level 10 and elite... But I think the general consensus is that Nancy Armour is absolutely correct and Bruno Grandi is a damn fool.

I am sure this will pass, since apparently "fairness" is more important than actually seeing the best athletes at the Olympics, and it will just be another nail in the coffin for the sport.

 

[BachFlyer]

I have a bunch of opinions on how this could be a terrible idea. Can anyone explain a little better the rationale for why this might be a good thing, either for event specialists or other countries? I've tried to wrap my head around why they would do this, but I can't.

 

[GlobalNomad]

The only thing I can think of is that a smaller country would have less trouble finding 4 versus 5.

 

[Empowered]

It doesn't really have much to do with teams. These lesser countries aren't going to qualify teams. This is about individual gymnasts and event specialists.

 

[BachFlyer]

So does each country HAVE to have to be able to field a team of gymnasts for any gymnasts to qualify? If not, I just can't see how this would help.

 

[Empowered]

No, you do not have to field a team to qualify an athlete. Individual specialists can already qualify. They want to open up more individual spots.

 

[GlobalNomad]

So, why not just add more individual spots?

 

[Empowered]

There is an athlete quota at the Olympic games. They are limited in the number of total spots. I believe it's 98 spots each for men and women.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

An Athlete who splits their time 6 or 4 ways compared to an event specialist should not have to stay home. No disrespect to the event specialists.

 

[raenndrops]

I have a bunch of opinions on how this could be a terrible idea. Can anyone explain a little better the rationale for why this might be a good thing, either for event specialists or other countries? I've tried to wrap my head around why they would do this, but I can't.

Ok... if Antarctica (the article did say ALL CONTINENTS, so I am going with one that shouldn't offend anyone) has someone who is REALLY INCREDIBLE on vault (Think woman doing double what an Amanar is), but they cannot field a team and she is ONLY strong on vault and is more like USAG L6 on everything else... this would give her the opportunity to go to the Olympics.

 

[BachFlyer]

^^but I still dont get why she wouldnt already be able to go as a specialist? I am sorry, I'm terribly obtuse!

 

[raenndrops]

^^but I still dont get why she wouldnt already be able to go as a specialist? I am sorry, I'm terribly obtuse!

Because there are only so many spots for girls that are not part of a team. The (STUPID) thinking is that by cutting the teams down from 5 to 4 that there will be MORE open spots for these individuals to fill.

 

[MILgymFAM]

Because there are only so many spots for girls that are not part of a team. The (STUPID) thinking is that by cutting the teams down from 5 to 4 that there will be MORE open spots for these individuals to fill.

Yes, but there were some spots for individuals though, right? If you weren't good enough to earn one of those before, what is different now? I think I am skewing a little dense on this one too.

 

[sce]

Yes, but there were some spots for individuals though, right? If you weren't good enough to earn one of those before, what is different now? I think I am skewing a little dense on this one too.

I agree with this. Aren't we getting the best now? All this does is spread out the spots to more countries. As well, for countries who do field a team, it limits their event specialists (or all arounders) from qualifying, so you get less of the best in my opinion.

 

[raenndrops]

Yes, but there were some spots for individuals though, right? If you weren't good enough to earn one of those before, what is different now? I think I am skewing a little dense on this one too.

I was playing "Devil's Advocate" in my scenario. I think it is a stupid idea... but @BachFlyer wanted to know a way it could be good, so I came up with an off the wall example... But YES, there are already some spots for individuals... and YES, I believe we are already getting the best... but some MORON (aka Bruno Grandi) wants to ruin the sport!

 

[flippinam]

This makes absolutely zero sense to me! The field is already "dumbed down" somewhat by the two per country rule for finals. I find this in itself utterly ridiculous. There's no reason that if a gymnast is the third best gymnast on any given event that they shouldn't be allowed to compete in finals because the two above her happen to be from the same country. Now only 4 per country go total?!? Pretty soon each country will only be allowed to field one gymnast!! And they'll be drawing cards to see who makes finals, to make sure it's "fair". Because it would be a tragedy if *gasp* the gymnasts who are actually the best get to compete in finals. This is like limiting the number of gymnasts each JO club can take to nationals in the US just to make sure the smaller clubs are represented. And only two gymnasts per club are allowed to place on a single event!

 

[bogwoppit]

I agree with this. Aren't we getting the best now? All this does is spread out the spots to more countries. As well, for countries who do field a team, it limits their event specialists (or all arounders) from qualifying, so you get less of the best in my opinion.

NO we are not getting the best if the girls who could score the very best are sitting at home. We get a skim off the top of "the best" and a whole lot of "pretty good", a slice of "good", a pinch of "okay" and a whole handful of "not so good" compared to the rest.

It will give a relatively reasonable representation of the gym map of the world, but you will not see "the best gymnasts in the world". Many L10's in the US are better than many elites from some parts of the world, which is why some girls who cannot possibly compete for the US, compete for other countries.

Cutting down the numbers even further means we see less of the very best and many more of the good. But I guess that is the olympic spirit. When people say to your very good L10, "Can't wait to see you at the Olympics"". It is pretty hard to explain that your kid doesn't have a chance in H.ELL, because they see girls competing at the O's who are not anywhere near as good as your dd.

The Olympic dream is no longer a real thing for US gymnasts, there are just way too many awesome girls in the talent pool. Even Qualifying elite means nothing, rare that those girls compete internationally, let alone at worlds or the O's.

Grandi killed the dream and took the beauty out of gymnastics.

 

[GlobalNomad]

Many L10's in the US are better than many elites from some parts of the world, which is why some girls who cannot possibly compete for the US, compete for other countries.

.... When people say to your very good L10, "Can't wait to see you at the Olympics"". It is pretty hard to explain that your kid doesn't have a chance in H.ELL, because they see girls competing at the O's who are not anywhere near as good as your dd.

The Olympic dream is no longer a real thing for US gymnasts, there are just way too many awesome girls in the talent pool.

This is what I've seen as well. Very true.

 

[dynamicduo]

So, how is Grandi still at the helm if it seems like SO many are against his views? Can't he be overthrown? Maybe a Coup d'etat?? ha