Summer Olympics

[tacocorp]

Deserving of its own thread. :D

Will be staying at the Hilton hotel, anyone there, come say hi :D Or don't!

[Stavros]

The time delay means that a lot of daytime events will begin around 1pm UK times and carry on to around 1am -next Friday's opening ceremony begins at 11.40pm and ends around 4am. It will be interesting to see if the crowd for the opening ceremony boo and hiss the new President and his corrupt friends when they take their seats and make their speeches, and the scandal over the Russian team, which has yet to end does raise questions given that a lot -most?- athletes and in other sports take numerous chemicals to improve their physique and performance, but legal ones until someone decides otherwise -how many times must Justin Gatlin be banned before someone decides he has no right to compete? The main points of interest will be in repeaters -will the opening ceremony match Danny Boyle's triumph in London? Can Usain Bolt do it yet again? Will Jessica Ennis-Hill do it again? Ditto Mohammed Farah and the Team GB Cycling team.
I guess for most people it is important the swimming is on first, given that leering at semi-naked fit bodies constitutes 50% or more of the real interest in these games.

[Reinhardt11]

Going to Rio in a week to see the Olympics. Went to London games and loved it. given my interest in ts and brazil being a country known for beautiful girls I would love to meet a Brazilian ts but all the stories I hear about Rio make it sound like you are risking your life going out at night. anyone been to Rio and met a ts escort?

[Stavros]

Going to Rio in a week to see the Olympics. Went to London games and loved it. given my interest in ts and brazil being a country known for beautiful girls I would love to meet a Brazilian ts but all the stories I hear about Rio make it sound like you are risking your life going out at night. anyone been to Rio and met a ts escort?

I hope you have a good time. If you search through the General Discussion threads in addition to Hilda Brasil you may also find recommendations that you stay away from certain parts of town and maybe contact reliable people willing to 'show you around' and give you a trouble-free visit, though obviously there will always be potential problems with pick-pockets and scammers that you find everywhere.

[Nikka]

http://66.media.tumblr.com/50ff23da56a10b52138a3b4860bb618f/tumblr_ob9dkrO4Jc1voo0udo1_250.gif

[Stavros]

It's the Olympics Nikka, not a fun-run for moms...and I at least thought you would celebrate one of the coolest outfits in the opening ceremony-

[Stavros]

The Rio Olympics so far is lacking in excitement, the events as dull as the attendance at the venues is poor and the weather much worse than London, though it is as close to winter in Rio as one can get, I suppose. For the UK the highlight has been some gold medals in Diving and the Kayak, two sports most people never see or do, with Max Whitlock getting a silver in the individual gymnastics, the first British medal in this sport for over 100 years. The games may get more interesting with the cycling events in the Velodrome starting tomorrow (Thursday) and the Athletics on Friday.

[rodinuk]

I do understand where you are coming from Stavros, I think the fact that we're not the host city and the time difference both contribute towards a sense of anti-climax.However I rather like the fact we do get to see some of the less 'sexy' events for a change!

I did enjoy Richard Kruse's foil medal match in the Fencing tournament against Safin which had me on the edge of my seat and in general terms I'm enjoying the coverage which I have on in the background whilst doing other things.

[Stavros]

You make valid points, Rod -I did watch the weightlifting the other night with a mixture of amazement that such small people could lift such colossal weights, and some concern as to what their diet and training regime might be. I have watched Judo but do not understand what is happening, and the fencing goes too fast to follow, for me. On top of that I am not interested in swimming which dominates the first week, but I did watch the road races last weekend. I think the better attendance at the venues in London was better and must have contributed to the atmosphere.

[hamdasl]

I've been watching the Olympics overseas since 1996.
You get 300% more action, you see all the sports, not just the ones Americans are good at, AND...
NO "up close and personal" bullshit.

[Stavros]

A phenomenal weekend of Gold medals for Team GB and not forgetting the Silver and Bronze winners too, from a team that for the best part of a century considered one gold medal a triumph. But what it shows is how funding and training can unlock talent and nurture it over time, with the funding going into facilities, trainers, equipment and in the case of cycling, technology. One wonders how many other Olympic teams would do better if they also had a system in place that identifies and nurtures talent -the absence of any major Brazilian in these games is an example of how a very rich country has failed its own citizens, not least when the headline news over the last year has concerned its venal and corrupt political class.

On another issue, one wonders why the US Gymnast Gabby Douglas has been the target of such vitriolic abuse for not putting her hand over her heart when the US Anthem was played. The remarkable thing is that anyone noticed as I was under the impression the Olympics is not broadcast live in the US where most people show no interest in it.

[sukumvit boy]

Excellent thought provoking piece on National Public Radio today about 'Intersex Athletes' with focus upon South African female runner Caster Semenya . Prior medical tests have determined her ambiguous gender with high testosterone levels which give her an unfair advantage over other women athletes.
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetorch/2016/08/16/490236620/south-african-star-raises-sensitive-questions-about-intersex-athletes?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=world

[Stavros]

Excellent thought provoking piece on National Public Radio today about 'Intersex Athletes' with focus upon South African female runner Caster Semenya . Prior medical tests have determined her ambiguous gender with high testosterone levels which give her an unfair advantage over other women athletes.

Thanks for the link to an interesting article. This is quite different from the deliberate attempt the old Soviet bloc countries used to make to 'firm up' their female athletes in power sports like the discus, shot put and javelin. Also, I don't think many intersexed people ever perform well enough at sport to reach the Olympic level so this is an unusual, probably unique case. I am not sure what fairness means in this case if the Olympic authorities can insist an athlete modify their personal biology, that seems to me too invasive a 'request' just to compete in a race. You could look at some female weight-lifters and boxers but not ask them to change their diets or personal biology if that is a factor in their success. A lot of women 'look like men', I see them every day even in my small town. If the concern is that she has an unfair advantage and nothing reasonable can be done about it, either Caster Semanya must compete or be banned.

[sukumvit boy]

Thanks for your always interesting comments and observations , Stavros.
Thing is , it is neither unique nor unusual , which is why the IOC made a 'wet squib' attempt to deal with these issues in 2012 ,than due to "personal biology" invasion decided to shelve the problem. And as you mentioned , rightly so.
Fact is , genetic mutations exist in 1 in 200 live births and sex chromosome mutations account for as much as 90 % of those.
The general public mindset greatly underestimates the frequency of these abnormalities , partially because they remain hidden from view .
The recent rapid growth of the science of genomics , on openness to discuss gender identity issues and the Olympics have now intersected at a 'critical point' where it is necessary to make an informed and fair decision.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_chromosome_disorders

[Stavros]

Thanks for your always interesting comments and observations , Stavros.
Thing is , it is neither unique nor unusual , which is why the IOC made a 'wet squib' attempt to deal with these issues in 2012 ,than due to "personal biology" invasion decided to shelve the problem. And as you mentioned , rightly so.
Fact is , genetic mutations exist in 1 in 200 live births and sex chromosome mutations account for as much as 90 % of those.
The general public mindset greatly underestimates the frequency of these abnormalities , partially because they remain hidden from view .
The recent rapid growth of the science of genomics , on openness to discuss gender identity issues and the Olympics have now intersected at a 'critical point' where it is necessary to make an informed and fair decision.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_chromosome_disorders

I agree with what you say but my point was that this is unusual -and probably unique- in the Olympics rather than society as a whole- but on the basis that previous cases did not concern the intersexed but athletes whose biology was changed through deliberate chemical experimentation.

[flabbybody]

Your correct that Yanks are generally disinterested in the Olympics except when it comes to our amazingly beautiful lady runners, lead by Brianna Rollins.957931

[fred41]

Your correct that Yanks are generally disinterested in the Olympics except when it comes to our amazingly beautiful lady runners, lead by Brianna Rollins.957931

Yeah, but c'mon, the runners are totally hot.



on a different note...I always thought Ryan Lochte was a douche...guess I was right.

[fred41]

...and how cool was it when Ms Rollins and the other two American cuties finished 1-2-3 in the 100m hurdles ?

[flabbybody]

Gorgeous Deajah Stevens went to high school in Bayside, Queens.
She trained running along dirt track by Cross Island pkwy

957959

[flabbybody]

everyone's favorite. Allyson Felix957977

[sukumvit boy]

There are 46 transgender athletes at the Olympic games.
http://www.dailydot.com/irl/lgbt-athletes-summer-olympics-out-proud-gold/

Here's a list of 15 other famous TG athletes
http://www.thesportster.com/entertainment/top-15-famous-transgender-athletes/

[Stavros]

There are 46 transgender athletes at the Olympic games.
http://www.dailydot.com/irl/lgbt-athletes-summer-olympics-out-proud-gold/


Er, no as the people on that list are just gay (like Tom Daley) and being gay is not the same as being transgendered and the issue with Caster Semanya is not sexual orientation which is why I took the view she might be/must be unique in this case.

[Stavros]

Your correct that Yanks are generally disinterested in the Olympics except when it comes to our amazingly beautiful lady runners, lead by Brianna Rollins.957931

I enjoyed watching the divers, like the Canadian pair. In fact I am good at diving myself (but not in a pool)...

958058

[flabbybody]

Ms Allyson 958175

[Stavros]

A thrilling game of field hockey last night with Team GB winning gold in a penalty shoot-out. Not only a first gold in this event for the women, but two of the players -Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh are married to each other. I guess this would be like the Quarter-Back of the Chicago Bears being married to his Wide Receiver...?

958202

[flabbybody]

958261
On a per capita basis, GB metal count thus far is quite impressive

[Stavros]

958261
On a per capita basis, GB metal count thus far is quite impressive

Impressive but Team GB is 19th in the overall table on a per capita basis (US is 40), and some would point out that Team GB brings together sporting talent from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland that compete separately at the Commonwealth Games.
Thus the top three (per capita) for all medals (so far) are Grenada, New Zealand and Jamaica; the bottom three are in order of shame India, the Philippines and Indonesia. I think at the London Olympics the Philippines, with a population of over 100 million managed to send 45 competitors, and I honesty don't think they care. In the specific case of Gold Medals, the top three are Bahamas, Jamaica and Croatia.

This list has been compiled on a per capita basis and other indicators -
http://www.medalspercapita.com/

[flabbybody]

I would refine the list with a minimum 10 metal requirement (a purely arbitrary threshold). You can make it 15 or 20 depending how you want to massage the outcome.
Grenada's sole medal should not put them at the top of a per capita metals list simply due to their micro-tiny population. It's primary resourse are teaching hospitals for college students who couldn't gain acceptance to American medical schools.

[flabbybody]

No doubt USA wins for sexiest gold medalist
Brianna Rollins
958510958509

[fred41]

I wonder (not really...lol) how many people rub one out to the olympics.

[Laphroaig]

I wonder (not really...lol) how many people rub one out to the olympics.

Not quite what you mean, but this Japanese pole vaulter was thought to have "rubbed out" of the competition due to his penis.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/row-zed/japanese-pole-vaulter-fails-olympics-8642474


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzLuET71THM

Great story, but sadly now denied by the man himself.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-37103648

Back (sort of) on topic, Jessica Ennis does it for me every time...

958629

[Stavros]

Excellent thought provoking piece on National Public Radio today about 'Intersex Athletes' with focus upon South African female runner Caster Semenya . Prior medical tests have determined her ambiguous gender with high testosterone levels which give her an unfair advantage over other women athletes.
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetorch/2016/08/16/490236620/south-african-star-raises-sensitive-questions-about-intersex-athletes?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=world

The Indian runner Dutee Chand has been identified as the second of three 'hyperandrogenous' athletes at the Games along with Caster Semanya, whose gold medal run in the 800 metres last night was as predictable as it was farcical. Whatever, at a time when athletes are being banned for using chemicals to enhance their performance, it seems extraordinary and also hypocritical that the International Association of Athletics Federations would recommend surgery or chemical treatment to reduce...testosterone levels, or stop competing.
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/naturally-high-testosterone-snares-female-athletes-rio-n631086

And at a time when genital mutilation in women is being rightly criminalized across the world, to suggest removing the clitoris is surely unacceptable at every level?
It is also not clear if the IAAF makes a distinction between naturally generated high levels of testosterone in a female athlete and one who is intersexed, as the cause of the advantage in women's events.

[sukumvit boy]

Yes , for all the reasons mentioned above the IAAF clearly has it's work cut out in addressing these issues equitably. I don't think they can meet the 2017 deadline if they claim to address these issues in a comprehensive manner , and I think that focusing on testosterone levels alone is wrong headed.
This is a wonderful opportunity to publicly reassess the genetic , medical and ethical issues at the heart of LGBT agendas. With the weight of the Olympics behind them these decisions are likely to have far reaching implications.

Castor Semanya poignant post Olympic statement :
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/semenya-delivers-poignant-message-while-000000609.html

Here are a few interesting articles on sex chromosome mutations and their manifestations.

http://anthro.palomar.edu/abnormal/abnormal_5.htm
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ambiguous-genitalia/basics/causes/con-20026345