London 2012 Olympics Thread

canoecarrier · Sat Aug 04, 2012 8:52 pm

Congrats to Farah and Rupp going 1-2 in the 10K meters. That was very exciting. Rupp is only the 3rd American in 100 years to win a medal in the 10K meters. Farah was the 1st Brit to win the event ever.

GDB · Sat Aug 04, 2012 8:54 pm

Ennis! Rutherford! Farah!
The greatest night ever in the history of British Athletics.

And the crowds at the stadium seemed to have rather enjoyed it too!

Earlier in the day, golds also in the Velodrome (AKA 'The Pringle') and on the water too, for the best day for Team GB in 104 years. Just one gold in the whole of the 1996 games seems a long time ago.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19125093

[Edited 2012-08-04 14:01:04]

[Edited 2012-08-04 14:03:30]

astuteman · Sat Aug 04, 2012 9:02 pm

Quoting GDB (Reply 201):
The greatest night ever in the history of British Athletics.

We'll be talking about it for the rest of my lifetime, that's for sure.
Farah? Icing on the cake. Some icing!!!!
And some cake!!!!!

Rgds

kaitak · Sat Aug 04, 2012 9:14 pm

Quoting GDB (Reply 201):
Ennis! Rutherford! Farah!The greatest night ever in the history of British Athletics.

I'm so glad for all of them, but (with due respect to the other two) particularly for Jessica Ennis, because she IS the face of the British Olympics and the weight of expectation on her has been absolutely massive; the extra pressure - much more than perhaps on any other competitor in the games - makes her achievement all the more impressive.

It's so emotional to see the interviews afterwards with all three; superb sportspeople all three - and deserving of the hero/heroine status they will now have; can't wait to see the papers in the morning!

David_itl · Sat Aug 04, 2012 9:39 pm

And in terms of gold medals won, this is GB's 2nd greatest day ever. Only one that beat it was is 1908.

StarAC17 · Sat Aug 04, 2012 9:39 pm

Jamaica is back on the track!!!

A gold and a Bronze in the women's 100m

, with the potential to go 1,2,3 in the men's 100m tomorrow night!!!

blink182 · Sat Aug 04, 2012 9:55 pm

Quoting GDB (Reply 201):
Ennis! Rutherford! Farah!
The greatest night ever in the history of British Athletics.

Ssshhh! Only the 10K, to the best of my knowledge, has been televised yet in the US

. I think NBC showed the 10k live because they didn't expect an American to do so well. That was a fun race to watch btw. Well done, GB, and I am glad to see the slow start on golds be amended.

fruitbat · Sat Aug 04, 2012 11:14 pm

#### Chuffed as beansprouts ####

#### So proud of Team GB ####

#### So proud to be British ####

And, fingers crossed, more to come for Team GB.............sailing, cycling, triathlon.....and maybe even Tennis - really please for Laura Robson as well!!

And just so the rest of world know that this is now normal service, Team GB lost in the men's football on penalties

Do we care? Not a jot!!

Gingersnap · Sat Aug 04, 2012 11:17 pm

Good on Phelps for his total Gold medals overall, well won.

It is my opinion that there are too many swimming events, and if we get rid of Swimming medals the USA move down to 3rd place in the medal table

Plus if they can reduce the amount of cycling events because of how much GB dominated, then surely they can do the same in Swimming?

Chuffed for Team GB today however.

kiwiinoz · Sun Aug 05, 2012 3:03 am

Quoting KiwiRob (Reply 193):
I think potentially we have 4/5 more golds in us, Adams, Willis, Hewitt, lightweight double sculls, womans single sculls, either way you look at it on a per capita basis we are kicking Aussie butt!

The female BMX rider is also an outside chance. I only rate Adams as a chance of gold. If Willis gets up, it would truly be our best Olympic moment of these games, but I think he is outclassed in that field. If you have more confidence than me, you should get some money on him. He is paying 25-1 for the win!

imiakhtar · Sun Aug 05, 2012 5:59 am

Quoting astuteman (Reply 202):
Farah? Icing on the cake. Some icing!!!!
And some cake!!!!!

A Somali immigrant winning the gold for the UK? Should make for a pleasant read in the Mail on Sunday.

I was in Headingly watching the cricket yesterday so I've got a lot of catching up to do!

David_itl · Sun Aug 05, 2012 8:16 am

Quoting imiakhtar (Reply 210):
Should make for a pleasant read in the Mail on Sunday

And why should that be? One of my facebook friends posted a mocked-up Daily Mail front page with the headline "Outrage" with picture of Mo with Union flag draped across his head and underneath "Immigrant Muslim black man wears Union Jack as hoodie".

In reality, this is what that newspaper actually did in 2010 when he won the 10000m at the European Championship. Criticise the paper for being awful but don't infer anything it may do when it has done something contrary to perceived public belief.

astuteman · Sun Aug 05, 2012 8:21 am

Quoting imiakhtar (Reply 210):
A Somali immigrant winning the gold for the UK? Should make for a pleasant read in the Mail on Sunday.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ins-busiest-day-Olympic-Games.html

Quote:
Mo Farah caps remarkable day for British sport with 10,000m gold

Quote:
Farah hugged his stepdaughter Rhianna and wife, Tania, who is pregnant with twins, as he draped himself in the Union flag. Talking to the BBC he said: 'This is the best moment of my life.'
The Somali-born athlete, who attended Feltham Community College and Isleworth and Syon School in London, danced for joy around the track.

I enjoyed reading that.
I don't have an issue with a refugee from the Somali Civil War who moved here when he was 8, 21 years ago, and whose Father was born and grew up in Hounslow, Essex, being considered a UK citizen.
He fills all the criteria.
Do you have an issue with it?
If not, I'm not sure why it was necessary to sour the mood when we're celebrating one of the greatest moments in British sporting history.

I'm proud of all of them.
Can we please be allowed to enjoy it while it lasts?
We're highly unlikely to see it again

My suggestion would be to leave anything inappropriate that the MOS publish where it belongs - off this thread

Rgds

GDB · Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:05 am

I'm thinking that Team GB have properly defined the title 'Britain's Got Talent'.
That awful TV show needs a name change. If indeed it should exist at all.

astuteman · Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:25 am

Quoting blink182 (Reply 206):
I think NBC showed the 10k live because they didn't expect an American to do so well

Credit where credit's due.

Watching Galen Rupp literally cheering Mo Farah on as if they were teammates as they crossed the line will be one of my enduring images of this games.
They both seemed to share a personal achievement that transcended the national boundaries of their representation, and to me summed up the true values of the Olympic movement.

My utmost respect to Galen Rupp for both his own achievement, and his contribution to MF's gold Medal. What a team!

Rgds

imiakhtar · Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:52 am

Quoting david_itl (Reply 211):

And why should that be? One of my facebook friends posted a mocked-up Daily Mail front page with the headline "Outrage" with picture of Mo with Union flag draped across his head and underneath "Immigrant Muslim black man wears Union Jack as hoodie".

Quoting astuteman (Reply 212):
I enjoyed reading that.
I don't have an issue with a refugee from the Somali Civil War who moved here when he was 8, 21 years ago, and whose Father was born and grew up in Hounslow, Essex, being considered a UK citizen.
He fills all the criteria.
Do you have an issue with it?
If not, I'm not sure why it was necessary to sour the mood when we're celebrating one of the greatest moments in British sporting history.

Lol. Mea culpa. I obviously wasn't very clear.

I was just having a dig at the DM which for the most part spent the entire run up to the games lambasting the whole thing. That cynicism, coupled with the fearmongering doctrine it follows has just been nullified by the results of the past day. What greater advert for British multi-culturalism than the success story of Mo Farah?

I'm just taking delight in seeing the DM do a total backtrack.

OA260 · Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:54 am

Quoting imiakhtar (Reply 210):
A Somali immigrant winning the gold for the UK? Should make for a pleasant read in the Mail on Sunday.

Yep they covered it well. The Daily Mail gets slated for some of their articles. Some I agree with and some not but its become a stereotype to mention the ''Daily Mail'' these days . Plenty of people from all back grounds read the Daily Mail including myself along with many other newspapers. Read them all and then get a rounded opinion rather than block out certain ''fashionable to slate'' newspapers. None of them are perfect but Im smart enough to know when someone has an agenda. I scan by the bits I dont like.

The Daily Mail and their coverage of the games and the Team GB achievements has been quite good IMHO.

Mo Farah caps Great Britain's remarkable Super Saturday gold rush with dramatic 10,000m crown... and celebrates with a hug from his daughter and pregnant wife

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...es-hug-daughter-pregnant-wife.html

imiakhtar · Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:12 am

Does anyone know how to access the full coverage of the events? I can only find the severely abridged highlights on the bbc sport website.

OA260 · Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:33 am

So Mr Murray is playing in the Tennis today .

British number one Andy Murray is certain to win silver or gold when he plays in two tennis finals.

He will be on Centre Court at Wimbledon against old rival Roger Federer in the men's singles and then with Laura Robson in the mixed doubles.

http://news.sky.com/story/968981/oly...s-gb-aiming-for-another-golden-day

Gingersnap · Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:58 am

Quoting OA260 (Reply 218):
He will be on Centre Court at Wimbledon against old rival Roger Federer in the men's singles and then with Laura Robson in the mixed doubles.

Is it definitely in that order? If so then I feel for Miss Robson because win or lose, Murray is going to be knackered coming off a best of 5 set match against Federer.

AeroWesty · Sun Aug 05, 2012 3:17 pm

So why couldn't Murray have done this a month ago?

petertenthije · Sun Aug 05, 2012 3:20 pm

Quoting imiakhtar (Reply 217):
Does anyone know how to access the full coverage of the events? I can only find the severely abridged highlights on the bbc sport website.

All sports are streamed live here, but of course with Dutch commentary.

http://nos.nl/os2012/

Kiwirob · Sun Aug 05, 2012 3:29 pm

Quoting AeroWesty (Reply 220):
So why couldn't Murray have done this a month ago?

I really didn't want him to win, but Fed didn't play well and Murray had a better than average game.

fruitbat · Sun Aug 05, 2012 3:32 pm

Quoting imiakhtar (Reply 217):
Does anyone know how to access the full coverage of the events? I can only find the severely abridged highlights on the bbc sport website.

They're all available in full on the BBC website if you're in the UK

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/2012/live-video

All the catch-up stuff is at the bottom. I think that previous days are also available somewhere - iPlayer as well (I have downloaded the opening Ceremony so I would expect last nights Olympic programmes to be there).

Just caught the end of the tennis - and much as we normally love Federer over here, it feels great to say (for once) - thanks for coming!!

blink182 · Sun Aug 05, 2012 3:46 pm

Quoting astuteman (Reply 214):
Watching Galen Rupp literally cheering Mo Farah on as if they were teammates as they crossed the line will be one of my enduring images of this games.
They both seemed to share a personal achievement that transcended the national boundaries of their representation, and to me summed up the true values of the Olympic movement.

That footage struck me too, and I hope that is of the lasting images of these games.

Congrats to Andy Murray! Even if hasn't won Wimbledon, he can say he's won at Wimbledon. Federer looked shockingly human.

OA260 · Sun Aug 05, 2012 4:46 pm

Congrats to Andy Murray really chuffed for him and his Family who have been right behind him . His Mum must be so proud.

imiakhtar · Sun Aug 05, 2012 5:52 pm

Quoting fruitbat (Reply 223):

They're all available in full on the BBC website if you're in the UK

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/...video

Thankyou.

Quoting blink182 (Reply 224):
That footage struck me too, and I hope that is of the lasting images of these games.

Understandably so as they both live and train under the same coach in Portland. Nevertheless, excellent sportsmanship from the two and a superb sprint finish. That moment and the 200m butterfly where the South African Chad le Clos just pipped Phelps to Gold. His dad's reaction was priceless: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYa0r43Xn-8

These Olympics have almost inspired me to head down to the gym tomorrow morning before work and pull a 2k on the erg.

Kiwirob · Sun Aug 05, 2012 8:57 pm

Nice 100m from Bolt, I'm thinking he's been laying low this season.

David_itl · Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:09 pm

One can only imagine what he would do with a good start!

GDB · Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:33 pm

Quoting david_itl (Reply 228):
One can only imagine what he would do with a good start!

Bolt will have had his chicken nuggets!

OA260 · Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:51 pm

My colleagues gave me a good App that can be downloaded free on iPhone / iPad and some Androids called FILMON . Allows you to watch BBC and other UK channels anywhere. Also some non British channels.

Gingersnap · Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:02 pm

It's a shame other countries have such poor coverage of the event, as it's not the BBC filming it all...rather the OBS.

But I guess the TV license we pay in the UK has allowed UK viewers a better level of coverage this time round.

MD11Engineer · Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:34 pm

Apparently the Olympic games are a huge PR success for the British military.
Originally a private company, G4S, was hired to provide security during the games, like manning X-ray machines and searching bags, but they could not provide enough trained staff (from what I´ve heard they tried to hire unemployables from the local job centres to boost their numbers). In the end the British government had to pull the emergency brake and got thousands of soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines to do the job.
These guys and girls very fast got the reputation of being professional, polite, friendly and correct, unlike the rent-a-cops of the private security company.
And for the soldiers it is a great change from garrison life and it beats fighting in Afghanistan (especially the opportunity to chat up some girls)
Tourists apparently love to pose with the squaddies for pictures.

Jan

par13del · Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:37 pm

The Olympics is such a money event now that the organizers should have their own electronic coverage, rather than selling rights to the highest bidder they should be selling coverage to individual nations and their broadcast media.
Imagine the millions that could be made selling coverage to different regions based on their needs versus the bundle that networks like BBC, NBC etc. give to their subscribers.

The money made from bidders for the right to host the games would pale in comparison.

GDB · Sun Aug 05, 2012 11:02 pm

Quoting MD11Engineer (Reply 232):
These guys and girls very fast got the reputation of being professional, polite, friendly and correct, unlike the rent-a-cops of the private security company.
And for the soldiers it is a great change from garrison life and it beats fighting in Afghanistan (especially the opportunity to chat up some girls)
Tourists apparently love to pose with the squaddies for pictures.

But a negative is that some of them were just back from Afghanistan and would have had plans for their leave, holidays, for some even marriage. Instead, they had to bail out the government - all the while with uncertainty due to cuts about the future for some of them too - who ideologically as well as practically, had relied on G4S.
But yes, a lot of reports in the media about their efficiency and good attitude in their last minute added Olympic role.
As they say, if you can't take a joke you shouldn't join!
Typically, they will have stepped up, delivered and made the best of it.

Also smiling are many senior UK Police Officers, annoyed at the creeping incursion of G4S into what should be core public service policing tasks. Yet often need proper cops around if things get difficult.
That has become politically toxic now, if MP's needed reminding, as the G4S/Olympic scandal emerged, cops on duty at the Houses Of Parliament were chanting 'G4S!' at passing government ministers and their parties MPs!

OA260 · Sun Aug 05, 2012 11:47 pm

Quoting gingersnap (Reply 231):
But I guess the TV license we pay in the UK has allowed UK viewers a better level of coverage this time round.

Well we have to pay EUR160 a year for the crap we get . Id rather pay it to the BBC if I had a choice and get iPlayer and other things legitimately.

Anyway Irelands first achievement in the games , congratulations to the Irish boxer John Joe .

John Joe Nevin has won Ireland's first medal at the London Olympics after his victory over Oscar Valdez Fierro in the bantamweight division quarter-final guarantees him at least a bronze medal.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0805/joh...-win-guarantees-olympic-medal.html

scbriml · Mon Aug 06, 2012 9:03 am

Quoting imiakhtar (Reply 217):

Does anyone know how to access the full coverage of the events? I can only find the severely abridged highlights on the bbc sport website.

Huh?

If you're in the UK, you can stream every Olympic event live on a PC - all via the BBC's website. Their web and TV coverage has been astonishing (20-odd HD channels). I really feel for those who haven't had the benefit of such broad coverage.

Quoting KiwiRob (Reply 227):
Nice 100m from Bolt, I'm thinking he's been laying low this season.

Yes, he looked pretty relaxed and was cruising for the last 10m. It's a real shame that Powell pulled up lame otherwise we could have had all finalists under 10.0! Wow!

MD11Engineer · Mon Aug 06, 2012 9:07 am

Quoting GDB (Reply 234):
But a negative is that some of them were just back from Afghanistan and would have had plans for their leave, holidays, for some even marriage. Instead, they had to bail out the government - all the while with uncertainty due to cuts about the future for some of them too - who ideologically as well as practically, had relied on G4S.
But yes, a lot of reports in the media about their efficiency and good attitude in their last minute added Olympic role.
As they say, if you can't take a joke you shouldn't join!
Typically, they will have stepped up, delivered and made the best of it.

Also smiling are many senior UK Police Officers, annoyed at the creeping incursion of G4S into what should be core public service policing tasks. Yet often need proper cops around if things get difficult.
That has become politically toxic now, if MP's needed reminding, as the G4S/Olympic scandal emerged, cops on duty at the Houses Of Parliament were chanting 'G4S!' at passing government ministers and their parties MPs!

It really is for another thread, but I understand the dissatisfaction within the military and the police with the government´s ideology of outsourcing and privatising core government responsibilities like law enforcement, defence and prisons. I hope that the abject failure of G4S will bite the government in the @rrse.

Jan

HAWK21M · Mon Aug 06, 2012 10:30 am

Just wondering what makes CHINA is sporting superpower........

Kiwirob · Mon Aug 06, 2012 10:58 am

Quoting HAWK21M (Reply 238):
Just wondering what makes CHINA is sporting superpower........

Easy a huge population to find potential athelets and a system that trains thems from the moment that potential is found. So one has to ask the question why isn't India also a sporting superpower?

OA260 · Mon Aug 06, 2012 12:00 pm

Quoting Aleksandar (Reply 151):
I am sure it won't be the last in London 2012

You were right Im pleased to say

Two Bronze medals for Greece won by Christina Giazitzidoy and Alexandra Tsiaboy.

par13del · Mon Aug 06, 2012 1:16 pm

Quoting KiwiRob (Reply 239):
Easy a huge population to find potential athelets and a system that trains thems from the moment that potential is found

Quoting KiwiRob (Reply 239):
So one has to ask the question why isn't India also a sporting superpower?

Under the Communist System, all (other than the politicians) are equal thus the bulk of the population is available. Under the western systems one's position in society and economics play major factors, so for example Russia or the Soviet Union is no longer the super power in the Olympics that they once were quite likely because of economics, and in the USA for example, everyone gets to complain about NBC coverage because the sponsers who invest in the athletes to get them to the Olympics need to see some return on their investment, so.....................

Kiwirob · Mon Aug 06, 2012 1:41 pm

Quoting par13del (Reply 241):
and in the USA for example

I think the only reason the US are a sporting superpower because of college sports scholarships; which at the end of the day isn't too far removed from the Chinese system, athletes are identified at an early age and are given scholarships to perform for the glory of the institutions they represent, if they are good enough they get to wrap themselves in the flag and compete for America every 4th year.

bjorn14 · Mon Aug 06, 2012 2:59 pm

Quoting KiwiRob (Reply 242):
I think the only reason the US are a sporting superpower because of college sports scholarships;

Most USA Olympians are far removed from their college careers and have professional sponsors. The only thing I will say is that college athletics MAY serve as a springboard into the professional ranks,

par13del · Mon Aug 06, 2012 3:40 pm

Quoting KiwiRob (Reply 242):
I think the only reason the US are a sporting superpower because of college sports scholarships; which at the end of the day isn't too far removed from the Chinese system

Oh, the USA system especially where college scholarships are concerned is all about economics and is far removed from the Chinese system and from most other nations.
A university college football or basketball program can generate enough revenue to support the other sports hence NCAA rules mandating that revenue is shared, without those rules, traditional olympic support in the USA would struggle for funding and athletes to participate.

The college programs generate so much funds that more and more they are running into trouble with the professional leagues who want the athletes to move on as soon as possible. The notion that athletes should stay in college to get their degrees is short cut for the longer they stay in college the more money the schools can make.
Totally different beast, its all about money.

eicvd · Mon Aug 06, 2012 4:12 pm

Hard luck to Ireland's Annalise Murphy in the sailing today, after a great effort all week she only just missed out on a medal in a sport nobody was expecting us to win a medal in! & well done too Katie Taylor after an amazing performance in the womens boxing, the gold is her's for the taking. Every chance Ireland can come home with 4 golds in the boxing

canoecarrier · Mon Aug 06, 2012 7:41 pm

Quoting par13del (Reply 241):
everyone gets to complain about NBC coverage because the sponsers who invest in the athletes to get them to the Olympics need to see some return on their investment, so.....................

They had an interview with one of the US women's weightlifting team today on the news. She lives off a $450/month stipend from US Weightlifting so she could train for the Olympics. She shops at thrift stores. I think the majority of US athletes (like many other countries) don't get a whole lot of money to support their efforts to play in the games.

Quoting KiwiRob (Reply 242):
I think the only reason the US are a sporting superpower because of college sports scholarships; which at the end of the day isn't too far removed from the Chinese system, athletes are identified at an early age and are given scholarships to perform for the glory of the institutions they represent, if they are good enough they get to wrap themselves in the flag and compete for America every 4th year.

Michael Phelps and Missy Franklin began their swimming career in high school. Phelps never went to college. That may be true with some sports the US competes in like rowing or volleyball, but I don't think you can make the generalization as a whole.

Many countries don't consider being an "athlete" a job. The Chinese do. So they can practice diving 8 hours a day every day.

Quoting OA260 (Reply 235):
Anyway Irelands first achievement in the games , congratulations to the Irish boxer John Joe .

I looked the medal count up today just to see if the Irish managed to get a medal yet. At the time they hadn't. Glad to see them on the board.

Bongodog1964 · Mon Aug 06, 2012 8:57 pm

Quoting par13del (Reply 233):
The Olympics is such a money event now that the organizers should have their own electronic coverage, rather than selling rights to the highest bidder they should be selling coverage to individual nations and their broadcast media.
Imagine the millions that could be made selling coverage to different regions based on their needs versus the bundle that networks like BBC, NBC etc. give to their subscribers.

The money made from bidders for the right to host the games would pale in comparison.

Surely this is what happens now ? I understand that the BBC as host broadcaster provides the feed, but the IOC sells the rights to the highest bidder in each individual nation. NBC as an example only has broadcast rights in the US.
Having just returned from the US NBC's coverage is dire at best, just a 3 hour highlights programme in the evening.

Aleksandar · Mon Aug 06, 2012 8:58 pm

Quoting scbriml (Reply 236):
If you're in the UK, you can stream every Olympic event live on a PC

I am watching BBC One via Internet (don't ask me how, I won't say :P ) and it is very nice to watch everything from the opening of Olympic Park early in the morning until late evening. There is a superb list of guests in the studio, very good consultants. I am happy with that.

Quoting HAWK21M (Reply 238):
Just wondering what makes CHINA is sporting superpower........

They are becoming richer, and they are big nation. Also, don't be surprised because it is not China that is doing well in the medals table, but also both Koreas.

Quoting OA260 (Reply 240):
Two Bronze medals for Greece won by Christina Giazitzidoy and Alexandra Tsiaboy.

Great!!!!!!

Quoting par13del (Reply 241):
Under the Communist System, all (other than the politicians) are equal thus the bulk of the population is available. Under the western systems one's position in society and economics play major factors, so for example Russia or the Soviet Union is no longer the super power in the Olympics that they once were quite likely because of economics, and in the USA for example, everyone gets to complain about NBC coverage because the sponsers who invest in the athletes to get them to the Olympics need to see some return on their investment, so.....................

You don't have to look that far to China. If Communist countries had anything good, it was a sport system, from early ages until Olympic competitions. Government provided good facilities, coaches had good lives....young athletes got scholarships and everything. In a way, this system seemed more human than the current Western system where everything is depending upon the will of rich sponsors.

par13del · Mon Aug 06, 2012 9:54 pm

Quoting canoecarrier (Reply 246):
They had an interview with one of the US women's weightlifting team today on the news.

Quoting canoecarrier (Reply 246):
I think the majority of US athletes (like many other countries) don't get a whole lot of money to support their efforts to play in the games.

In traditional Olympic sports yes, in colleges most such sports are subsidized by the sports which have professional leagues - football, basketball, baseball -. Private sponsors are the key for those sports unless one has government support. US athletes have been doing silent protest as they are not allowed to show items which promote their sponsors.

Quoting Bongodog1964 (Reply 247):
Surely this is what happens now ? I understand that the BBC as host broadcaster provides the feed, but the IOC sells the rights to the highest bidder in each individual nation.

BBC as host broadcaster is commissioned by the Olympics, I'm saying that the BBC is a middle man who the Olympics should cut out, all we are talking about are TV Camera's, camera men, satellite trucks and associated production personnel, there are enough Olympic sanctioned events and they have made so much money that they should by now afford to have their own TV network.
It is a stretch to think that hosting the Olympics automatically means that the communication infrastructure of a country will be enhanced, at least if the Olympics have their own network, they will reduce some of the cost that host countries bear in hosting the event.

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