sports

Vanishing golf stars for Rio could jeopardize Olympic status

14 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© 2016 AFP

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

14 Comments
Login to comment

It seems that many players feel Rio much dangerous to stay and play game the best enough. Probably more would withdraw from Rio Olympics.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

This is why it's hard to legitimize the Games -- so many teams and big players will be absent and only a few will field theirs because they see it as a chance to win. It's like the WBC. I think the Rio Games are quite possibly going to go down as the biggest mistake so far in Olympic history, and it's no surprise less and less countries want anythign to do with hosting the Games in the future.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

I think a lot more athletes should withdraw from the competition, and put the IOC's directors in the hot seat for picking a completely unsafe venue. As I've posted once already, I won't be watching. And if people around the world don't watch, guess who suffers? Not the athletes, but the mega-corporations and media that feed on the whole thing. Turn off your TV, don't bother to watch, and suspend your newspaper delivery for a few weeks. Then see what happens. This is a grassroots opportunity to protest, and it won't cost you a thing. In fact, by not watching, and not taking a newspaper for a few weeks, you'll save money.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Golf should never have been there. Regardless of Zika, players value winning Majors as the pinnacle, not some weird little medal. Same deal for tennis. If the Olympics is the be relevant long-term, they need to get back to basics and cut plenty of sports.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

The Olympics ceased to mean much once it got political and profit driven. meh.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Good for them it shows they have their priorities in the right place. Sport is sport, but life and family are what matter. Not worth risking over a hobby. well done

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I agree with BurakuminDes - gold doesn't belong in the Olympics, nor does tennis.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

What a ridiculous farce! 100% responsibility should be taken by the IOC for giving it to Rio in the first place. Yesterday there were even reports that a "drug-resistant" superbug was found in the Rio bay ffs..

Added to this fact that the World Cup will be played in Russia and then in Qatar, you have a global sporting system so corrupt that it's a wonder these sports still function

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I would love to believe that these golfers would also have pulled out if the purse at the Olympics was on par with (or even more generous) any grand slams but am just not sure their decision is 100% zika motivated.

Truth is sportsmen who make a huge amount of money during the regular season/tournaments (tennis, golf, basket, football etc) have never been 'that' motivated by a gold at the Olympics. On top of that NBA, Masters, UCL, EPL etc titles guarantee massive deals with sponsors.

Much more at stake for track athletes, swimmers, weightlifters, handball players etc who are on a 4 year cycle and for whom an Olympic medal is life changing. Not against golfers' decision but lets be honest zika is only part of it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

TrevorPeace: " and put the IOC's directors in the hot seat for picking a completely unsafe venue."

It's not picking it that they should be in trouble, per se, it's sticking with it when it became clear Rio could NEVER live up to its promises and that the Olympics and construction in particular was taking priority over safety and social programs at home, not to mention the various scandals and health concerns. The same could be said for Tokyo -- the amount of corruption and scandals should give the IOC grounds to warn -- SERIOUSLY -- the would-be host nation that the Games could be moved at any time. Instead, they just turn a blind eye and let it go, so long as they profit.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Drop golf from the Olympics if the soft, nancy-boy players are too scared to turn up. Hitting a ball with a stick whilst dressed in garish trousers isn't much of a sport anyway.

It's really all about money, or the lack of it. Will these people who are so concerned for their safety stop playing in US tournaments when the Zika virus reaches there? I doubt it.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Hitting a ball with a stick whilst dressed in garish trousers isn't much of a sport anyway. It's really all about money, or the lack of it .............. that comment could easily describe baseball as well

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I think you'll find that professional athletes, that don't require the Olympics to generate the bulk of their income, will skip the Rio games.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I stopped taking much of an interest in the olympics years ago. Its dirty, corrupt and all about money. Im not going to watch it at all this time or in the future. The olympics now is bs.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites