There were a few stories of true amateurs participating in this Olympics. But it is nearly impossible to distinguish amateur from professional these days.
If they have a contract with their club and are paid money for playing.
Students who get scholarships for playing a sport.
Athletes who are given sometimes large sums of money by their national sports federation to pay for training.
When the Soviet Union was almost unbeatable in ice hockey, their players were amateurs because they didn't have contracts and were not paid for playing the sport. They were in the Army! Does anybody buy that line?
Of the sports included this time, cannot understand how/why BMX got in there. Probably mountain bike also, but cannot say cuz I've never watched it.
And as I said before, beach volleyball should definitely not be there. Ass-watching is one of my favorite passtimes, bit it is not an Olympic sport! Saw an article that FIBA is pushing to get beach soccer added to the Rio games. I sure hope that does not happen ...
Just looked at the list again and see that Trampoline was in these games. Really? Is this their first time? Why?
There are a number of sports that look interesting. Land hockey is one for sure, but I can't see the damned ball! Same problem with ice hockey, unfortunately.
So far as many of the other sports that I don't watch; taekwondo, water polo, synchronized swimming, fencing, etc. Let them have their 15 minutes of fame every four years. I have no opinion.
Before these games, I would probably readily have voted to exclude Track cycling/velodrome. Now I am looking forward to seeing it again!
Don't care at all if football is in the Olympics, but if you exclude that, then you would have a good argument for excluding basketball also. And I Definitely do Not want that!
