Why no pool in the Olympics?

westcoast

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don't know if this has been discussed before, but I think it would be great if pool were an Olympic sport. I wonder if it has ever been considered?
 

Maniac

2manyQ's
Silver Member
No offense to pool diehards, but imo there are already way too many sports allowed into the Olympic Games. They need to cease with events like synchronized swimming, kayaking, etc. Where/how/why does pool fit in?

The purest sport in the world is not even an Olympic sport. Tennis. A grueling match of steady running in all directions, mano-a-mano (or womano-a-womano) for two or more hours is as sporty as it gets. My vote would be for tennis to be an Olympic sport before anything else is considered.

Maniac (not even a tennis fan)
 

DogsPlayingPool

"What's in your wallet?"
Silver Member
..... Popcornsmilie.gif.....
 

ejasons

Registered
Gerda Hofstatter recently competed in the finals of an event, while being six months pregnant.

That should explain why pool isn't an Olympic sport...
 

Chopdoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don't know if this has been discussed before, but I think it would be great if pool were an Olympic sport. I wonder if it has ever been considered?


It was a "demonstration spot" in the Olympics, this is part of the process of consideration for adding a sport, so yes it was considered. I am confident you can read about that history if you try Google.

Personally, I think cue sports should be in the Olympics. Pool, Billiards, Artistic Pool, and Snooker.


.
 
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rrich1

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
No offense to pool diehards, but imo there are already way too many sports allowed into the Olympic Games. They need to cease with events like synchronized swimming, kayaking, etc. Where/how/why does pool fit in?

The purest sport in the world is not even an Olympic sport. Tennis. A grueling match of steady running in all directions, mano-a-mano (or womano-a-womano) for two or more hours is as sporty as it gets. My vote would be for tennis to be an Olympic sport before anything else is considered.

Maniac (not even a tennis fan)
uhhh..ya it is

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennis_at_the_Summer_Olympics
 

rrich1

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Damn, it SUCKS to get old. I can't get anything right anymore :eek:!!!

I still stand by my assertion that there are way too many sports allowed into the Olympics nowadays.

Maniac (pulling head out of ass as he types :grin:)

guess they should start by taking tennis out since they did it once before :p
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Pool (actually cue sports) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as a sport. The recognized world governing body is the WCBS. Pool, carom billiards and snooker are included in the World Games. The World Games are like the Summer Olympics but they include those recognized sports that are not in the Olympics, such as (I think) judo.

There will something over 10,000 athletes at the London Olympics. That's as many as the IOC and organizers want to deal with. Until something leaves, it is very unlikely that another sport will get in. In the latest adjustment, baseball (and softball?) left and 7-a-side rugby (?) got in.

In the past I think the host country had some influence in what sports got added. Also, there used to be "demonstration" sports but the last I heard those were dropped as being a distraction from the normal events.

I think there are about 64 cue sports players at the World Games events, which I think is 16 each in 3-cushion, snooker, men's and women's nine ball.
 

Maniac

2manyQ's
Silver Member
guess they should start by taking tennis out since they did it once before :p

But...but...but...you actually break a sweat playing tennis:wink:!!!

Maniac (doesn't really care one way or another what sport they add/delete)
 

rrich1

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Pool (actually cue sports) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as a sport. The recognized world governing body is the WCBS. Pool, carom billiards and snooker are included in the World Games. The World Games are like the Summer Olympics but they include those recognized sports that are not in the Olympics, such as (I think) judo.

There will something over 10,000 athletes at the London Olympics. That's as many as the IOC and organizers want to deal with. Until something leaves, it is very unlikely that another sport will get in. In the latest adjustment, baseball (and softball?) left and 7-a-side rugby (?) got in.

In the past I think the host country had some influence in what sports got added. Also, there used to be "demonstration" sports but the last I heard those were dropped as being a distraction from the normal events.

I think there are about 64 cue sports players at the World Games events, which I think is 16 each in 3-cushion, snooker, men's and women's nine ball.

judo is in as well. :)
 

michael4

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
agreed, too many "sports" and "events" in the Olumpics already.

If one swimmer wins 8 gold medals, WAY TOO many swimming events.

Thats like having a gold medal in basketball for best team in a "48 minute" game, another gold for best team in a "40 minute" game, best team in a "60 minute game", etc, - the same team would win 8 gold medals in basketball !

Next, DROP all sports that already have solid PRO leagues!!! why the hell do we need to see Kobe Bryant and Venus Williams in the Olympics! I prefer to see amatuers!
 

rrich1

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
agreed, too many "sports" and "events" in the Olumpics already.

If one swimmer wins 8 gold medals, WAY TOO many swimming events.

Thats like having a gold medal in basketball for best team in a "48 minute" game, another gold for best team in a "40 minute" game, best team in a "60 minute game", etc, - the same team would win 8 gold medals in basketball !

Next, DROP all sports that already have solid PRO leagues!!! why the hell do we need to see Kobe Bryant and Venus Williams in the Olympics! I prefer to see amatuers!

would you drop sprinting or long distance? same thing as swimming.
 

LucasBilliards

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think someone posted before that it's already been ruled out for 2016 & 2020 so the soonest would be 2024. I think it absolutely should be in the olympics. Ping pong is in the olympics for crying out loud. Curling in the winter olympics. There are plenty of sports that I don't understand being in the olympics. Pool, snooker, Billiards should all be in there. Any sport that literally takes 1000's of hours to become world class deserves to be in the olympics. Just my take, but I'd love to see Dennis Orcullo play SVB for the gold medal.
 

DogsPlayingPool

"What's in your wallet?"
Silver Member
Let's look at the bright side - even if pool was in the Olympics, it's pretty certain the U.S. network wouldn't air any coverage of it.:rolleyes:

Although, it would be cool to see SVB on a box of Wheaties.
 
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michael4

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
would you drop sprinting or long distance? same thing as swimming.

(1) good question. 100 yard dash and 26 mile marathon take two different types of athletes, and the same guy could never win both events.

So I would keep several different events in each sport, as long as the same person doesnt start winning too many events. When that happens it tells (me) that there are too many events in that sport.

(2) Pool in the Olympics would be HUGE to put pool back in the public eye. There are so many threads about what pool needs to be a respected sport again, and "Olympic status" would be one of the best answers to that question. AND it would make household names of some of the pros we all know...... :grin::grin:
 

Chopdoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Pool in the Olympics would be HUGE to put pool back in the public eye. There are so many threads about what pool needs to be a respected sport again, and "Olympic status" would be one of the best answers to that question. AND it would make household names of some of the pros we all know...... :grin::grin:


Hmmmm...it's supposed to amateur athletes...of course that has changed a lot.
 

Jobba786

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Pool, snooker, carom could be a part of the Winter Olympics. Easier to get a spot there, I would guess. Less sports there than in the Summer Olympics.
 
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