Olympics - amateur or not?

stoneill

Why are there so many professional sports people taking part in the Olympics?

Football, golf and cycling all have professionals on their teams - I though it was a competition for amateurs,

28064212

Most of the events have allowed professionals for decades. Boxing was one of the last to allow them, not sure if there's any left now

Happyhouse22

https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2021/07/20/why-did-the-olympics-ditch-their-amateur-athlete-requirement

Only the first two paragraphs available without a subscription, but pretty interesting.

Bob Harris

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058202087/olympics-amateur-or-not

Most of them are professionals and have been for many years.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117699382#Comment_117699382

Boxing now allows the "official" professionals, but so far they have not done too well.

The Cameroonian, Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam, beat Andy Lee in Athens in 2004 but didn't medal. He turned pro and won a world middleweight title. He came back to the Olympics in Rio and was beaten in his first fight. I think all the pros who went to Rio went out fairly early

That said, the yank who beat Kurt Walker a few days ago had already been pro for a year or two. The yanks have a few this time due to the way the selections were done this time around.

Almost anyone at Olympic level is training as a professional anyway.

Happyhouse22

Under the original idea of amateurism they have all been professional long before professionalism was allowed.

Originally no money whatsoever was allowed to be received for participation in sport. That would rule out things like the sports council funding the Irish athletes receive or sponsorship money like the big names all receive.

The modern Olympics were originally designed for the independently wealthy with thankfully we have moved on from.

littlevillage

This might be a controversial statement but the Olympics is a bit of a joke. Athletes may or may not be drugging up as much as they used to, but when they can switch countries, switch genders and when it's clearly all about the $$$$.... surely there's a problem?

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117702964#Comment_117702964

Yup. Now they are designed for the capitalist economy, so that the money-making potential of the games can be maximised. Having big-name players participate increases broadcast revenue from the games but the big-name players, understandably, recognise the commercial value they add and want a cut of it.

The only areas where there is even a ghost of amateurism are in relation to sports whose governing bodies don't want the Olympics to eclipse the tournaments they themselves organise (and profit from). FIFA doesn't want Olympic soccer to threaten the standing and significance of the soccer World Cup, for example, so they arrange matters so that Olympic soccer is confined to youth teams (under-23), and few or no really big-name soccer stars feature in Olympic soccer.

Kunta Kinte

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117703029#Comment_117703029

That only applies to the mens competiton, there are no restrictions in the womens competition. BTW Neymar, Messi and Ryan Giggs to name a few have all taken part in the Olympics as big name stars. In fact Neymar and Messii have both won Olympic gold medals.