Olympic Games Paris 2024 - AH Thread [Thread banned posters listed in first post.]

The thing that I couldn't understand was when Shelby McEwan from the US was tied with New Zealand's Hamish Kerr after both failing three jumps at 2.38 and both were getting a gold medal unless they decided to go back down through the heights to decide it. Kerr offered the tie but McEwan refused. Thry both failed 2.38 again and then 2.36, McEwan failed 2.34 and Kerr won the gold medal. At any stage between the heights they could have called it and I think Kerr would have agreed.

Why would you take a chance on losing a gold medal just to be called the champion on your own? For the rest of your life you are an Olympic champion even with the tie.

Read the last line

We have never had as much investment, facilities and participation in sports yet the diet of the bulk of the population is getting worse and many health issues are increasing. If we want to improve the health of the population it is obvious that diet must be the priority. Massive investment in sports already has not reversed the health trends.

I've heard that smoking savings link before too

However, smokers die some 10 years earlier than nonsmokers, according to the CDC, and those premature deaths provide a savings to Medicare, Social Security, private pensions and other programs.

Vanderbilt University economist Kip Viscusi studied the net costs of smoking-related spending and savings and found that for every pack of cigarettes smoked, the country reaps a net cost savings of 32 cents.

"It looks unpleasant or ghoulish to look at the cost savings as well as the cost increases and it's not a good thing that smoking kills people," Viscusi said in an interview. "But if you're going to follow this health-cost train all the way, you have to take into account all the effects, not just the ones you like in terms of getting your bill passed."

Other researchers have reached similar conclusions.

A Dutch study published last year in the Public Library of Science Medicine journal said that health care costs for smokers were about $326,000 from age 20 on, compared to about $417,000 for thin and healthy people.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/smokers-may-not-be-financial-burden-society-flna1c9465671

Ireland’s public sector does not and never has massively invested in sports

There has been massive investment from other sources. The quality of sports facilities all around the country is incredible. Never as good, never as many taking part. Obesity and many health issues still exploding. More investment into sports will enrich some individuals yes bur reverse the health crises, unlikely.

I've no problem with more investment but what is the aim, to improve the health of the population or to get more medals. Very different objectives and therefore different targeting of the money.

I live in Poland in a city that is about Cork’s size. Most schools have an excellent standard Astro pitch which is lined and netted and for about 6 a side. There are so many across the city. These pitches are mostly available to anyone to walk in off the street. In Ireland you don’t get near an Astro pitch without paying someone. sand and outdoor volleyball courts are dotted around the city. Skate parks- I only know one big one but there’s probably more. The city has a few 400 meters (I know of 3) running tracks and schools often have 60 meter running tracks. Cork has one in a university. the city has 3 stadiums, one not far off the standard of the Aviva, one around the level of turners cross which is used for very little apart from soccer training and one which is used for speedway and American football and events. I’m not sure how many 50 meter pools there are in here. Maybe 2 minimum. It also has a large indoor complex for the city’s volleyball and basketball teams. It doesn’t have a velodrome I don’t think.

Why do you say the standard of sports facilities in Ireland are incredible. Maybe I’m unfair but I find that a ridiculous statement to what I observe in this polish city.

Why is this on at 12.30 on a monday? Should have let them have the night out in Paris last night, relax today, and had the homecoming tomorrow evening when most people are finished work.

And here is sickly simon sticking himself front and centre…

The Washington Post reports that it was Kerr that wanted the jump off. McEwen knew that USA needed the gold and was also tempted by sharing the $50k prize money.

Those in the know say that sharing the gold will likely not happen again. Tokyo was a different unique time.

That’s not just something someone told you in the pub when you can quote it like that, wherever you got that from, but the ‘study’ being referred to has long been disavowed by Philip Morris themselves:

On July 16, 2001, a leaked report associated with Philip Morris sparked widespread condemnation and intense criticism from various quarters, including politicians, anti-smoking activists, economists, and watchdog groups. In response to the backlash, Philip Morris disowned the report and issued an apology for its conclusions. Following this incident, economist Hana Ross conducted a study which revealed that smoking had a significant negative financial impact on the Czech government's budget, costing at least 14,455 million CZK (approximately $373 million) each year. This study effectively countered the report's argument that there were financial benefits from smoking-related deaths.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Finance_Balance_of_Smoking_in_the_Czech_Republic

On the subject of addressing public health issues through greater investment in sports facilities and public awareness campaigns and physical education programmes in schools, that’s all great stuff, but it won’t produce Olympic level athletes. Olympic level athletes are produced from supports much closer to home, because it’s their families are providing support, encouragement, training, education and financing to give their children the resources and opportunities to become successful elite athletes.

The Olympics are an opportunity which comes every four years, whereas preparations to be a successful elite athlete will be well under way in childhood, as opposed to the idea of spotting talent when they’re teenagers. That’s why other countries have the medals success at the Olympics that they do, and other countries don’t.

They have a rugby participation rate slightly higher than Ireland, soccer would be less than Ireland at a fairly educated guess.

They don't have a GAA club in every tiny town and parish brainwashing kids into 'doing it for the parish and don't play any other sport'

we won a medal in rowing with no involvement from McCarthy or o’donovan….

You're clearly not a musician.

RTE aren't very good or even good. They are somewhere between bad and very bad.

Gillick and McCarthy were by far the two best things about their coverage

They do probably have the biggest catalogue of utter shte for such a talented band. I can't think of any other band where I would have such a wide gulf in how I feel about their good stuff over bad.

Hump de Bump and Aeroplane are I'm certain the 2 biggest heap of shte songs any band I rate has done.

The act is a bit boring these days too.