Higher, stronger, faster8230;and leaner

Similarly, sports that do not pass the test of transnational popularity. At the Bangkok Asiad some unheard of sports made their debut. Wu Shu 10 events, Karatedo 11, Sepak, Takraw, Regu 8212; what on earth are these? Even Fencing, one of the regulars at the Olympics, is confined to a handful of enthusiasts. How did those men and women in monkey suits trying to tickle each other with ball-tipped rapiers ever get into the Olympic Games? They belong to pantomime festivals, not to competitions in popular sports.

Variations of several existing disciplines have begun to proliferate. The Olympic Charter now recognises Soft Tennis and Beach Volleyball. And within each group of events there were multiple contests. At this rate the nations of the India subcontinent could ask for Gulli-danda to be included as well and then demand that there be different events for teams of twos, fours and eights!

The criteria that is being violated most frequently has to do with plain logic and common sense, leading to a multiplicity of events in several disciplines. There are about a dozen gold medals to be won in Boxing by competitors in weight categories from 48 kg to 91 kg. Wrestling had eight events in Greco-Roman and the same number in freestyle for weights, ranging from 54 kg to 130 kg. Judo had seven for men and six for women; Weightlifting, eight and seven; and so on.

Why not have just one contest in each of these disciplines? Why not choose just the best weightlifter, boxer, wrestler, judoka, irrespective of the person8217;s weight? The explanation given is that it would be unfair to pit a bigger man against a smaller one, hence the weight classification.

If this logic were to be accepted then it would apply to almost all events. A bigger person will throw the shot-put or javelin much further than a smaller one, so why don8217;t we have a similar categorisation there? A taller competitor will jump much higher or further, so we should classify contestants by height and have multiple medals in High Jump, Pole Vault, Long Jump and Triple Jump. By this logic thousands of gold medals would be up for grabs at every Olympiad.

Equally absurd is the numbers game in certain events. In Rowing, Canoeing or Kayaking medals get multiplied by having twos, fours or eights in boats of similar dynamics and design. Every team sport could then demand variations by numbers. Why not have Hockey or Soccer with six a side as well? Volleyball with teams of two has already been accepted, and it is no longer confined to the beaches. Next there could be a clamour for three-legged or four-legged races in sprints!

The inclusion of equestrian sports, Princess Anne8217;s own favourite, is also open to question. It is the mount that puts in by far the larger effort, but the rider who walks away with the medal. In these contests a person with a good, athletic build is always at a disadvantage because the poor animal has to carry a higher load.

The objective of the Olympic Games is to promote camaraderie and goodwill among the peoples of the world. No event should contravene this spirit. The increase in the number of so-called material sports does just that. The worst offender is, of course, the old favourite, Boxing. It is a sport8217; in which the declared objective is to hit the opponent so hard that he is knocked down for good. What message of goodwill does a boxer8217;s punch carry? Or the lethal kick in some of the newer additions from the Far East? Many of these sports need to be axed, or let us forget all that baloney about frime of the newer additions from the Far East?