Beach Volleyball: What Women Wear

[Tuckervill]

Gee - I just assumed the teams picked the uniforms. I realize this reveals my icky judgmental side, but I assumed it was the choice of the women, and they were pretty much just exhibitionists. Are you saying that the IOC requires them to wear uniforms that brief? If so, then there is something seriously wrong here.

Okay, sorry if I've exposed too much about the "inner Skierchickie". I just think there is a limit to what needs to be revealed for the sake of revealing it. Aren't the Olympics supposed to about the athletics, and not about flaunting bodies?

I apologize if I've offended anyone.

Oh, I thought the regulations that someone posted were demonstrating *minimum* coverage, not maximum coverage?

I have no doubt that some would compete nude if they could.

I don't care about their uniforms that much. But I did see Bush go to meet the US women's team (their names escape me). What really ticked me off is that he was all grabby and kissy with them! Not presidential at all. He went down on the sand and put his arm around them both and kissed them both on the cheek like he was a regular joe meeting Playboy bunnies! I was so disgusted! Where was his sense of decorum? The women were friendly to him, and they had surprised looks when they first saw him, but then they were so cooperative with the touchy-feely part. I don't know if I would have been.

Karen

[Tuckervill]

This article doesn't go into the rest of it, but this was enough.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008...h.olympics2008

And then there are pictures here:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i...ckFngD92EQ1S02

The pictures don't tell the story that the actual video did.

Karen

[tulip]

Wearing bikinis makes sense because it's beach volleyball, and is played at the beach (which is where it should remain).

The thing that doesn't make sense is why in the world is this is an Olympic sport in the first place?

[Kimmyt]

you said what i was trying to be nice enough not to say... but the truth is, there are a lot of sports in the olympics that many people don't feel are olympic worthy. How are you going to define what makes a sport able to be in the olympics? I think the IOC does it by having a certain number of national sports federations, right? I don't really know.

And to some extent, what I enjoy about the olympics is getting to watch sports that are not as main stream, that I don't get a chance to watch too often.

On the other hand, they have olympic trampoline.

Fo shizzle.

[Grog]

I do think it was included for TV ratings (although it is played on at least so many continents and things like that), but it definitely is a sport, and a hard one. These women are very fit. It's quite tough to jump like that on sand, and it's a fast paced game that can be pretty exciting to watch...

[maillotpois]

But I did see Bush go to meet the US women's team (their names escape me). What really ticked me off is that he was all grabby and kissy with them! Not presidential at all. He went down on the sand and put his arm around them both and kissed them both on the cheek like he was a regular joe meeting Playboy bunnies! I was so disgusted! Where was his sense of decorum? The women were friendly to him, and they had surprised looks when they first saw him, but then they were so cooperative with the touchy-feely part. I don't know if I would have been.

Funny, that's just what he did that time with the German Prime Minister...

[Hammer]

I don't have a problem with beach volleyball as an olympic sport. It takes as much endurance as anything. Hubby and I discussed the uniforms last night too. I personally think that something like boy shorts, or something would be okay.

Though, they're competing in sports bras, sort of, and I see women running in sports bras all of the time.

Hubby thought that maybe for both sides something like cycling shorts.

Ah well. Whatever floats their boat.


Now, I am curious why the IOC is yanking baseball and softball. I am not an enthusiast myself, but loads of others are. I don't quite understand equestrian events as olympic events, I imagine that it's got something to do with the historic reference to chariot races, perhaps? I'm also unsure of sailing, archery and shooting events. Why are these olympic sports?

I'm not bashing them, I've never done them. I'm just genuinely curious: What makes an event worthy of olympic competition?

[Grog]

Here is a quote from MSN Encarta:

"What criteria? Well, someone's got to apply: A sport needs an association or governing body of some kind to get in. Cow chip hurling, therefore, popular though it may be in the upper Midwest, probably won't make it.

A sport must also be popular in many countries--75 of them for men's summer sports, 40 for women's summer sports, and 25 for winter sports."

Do there needs to be an international federation, and it needs to abide by the IOC rules. And there must be enough interest for the sport worldwide.

I just learned that tug of war used to be an olympic sport, but it's now gone.

Note that many sports are "recognized" by the IOC but not currently in the Olympics. That includes bridge (yes, the card game - is that a summer or winter game?). I'm not sure what it does to be recognized.

More info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_sports
http://encarta.msn.com/column_olympi...mpic'.html

[Hammer]

The wikipedia entries were helpful. I forget that sport sometimes means an activity of skill rather than shear strength/stamina/flexibility.

[melissam]

Now, I am curious why the IOC is yanking baseball and softball. I am not an enthusiast myself, but loads of others are.

I was wondering that myself. Basically, it comes down to money. Building baseball and softball stadiums is expensive. According to an article I read in the local paper, the softball venues built for the Athens and Sydney Olympics have hardly been used since the events.

Softball will be out of the 2012 Olympics in London. It may be considered for the 2016 Olympics and beyond.