Fans face boot for eating or drinking wrong brands at games

[drjay]

"Strict regulations published by Athens 2004 last week dictate that spectators may be refused admission to events if they are carrying food or drinks made by companies that did not see fit to sponsor the games."

http://www.halifaxherald.com/stories/2004/08/08/f202.raw.html

[Viceroy]

LOL, those wacky officials. I eagerly await Friday's opening ceremony.

[droogsteve]

The Olympics should be discontinued. They're nothing but a huge corporate sponsored moneymaking machine. Any pretense of international goodwill and competition are gone. IOC members have been caught trying to sell their influence to potential host cities, games judges have been caught selling their votes, there's a huge steroid scandal. The entire thing reeks of greed and corruption. I'm praying that NYC doesn't get them in 2012.

[S10000]

I don't think it should be discontinued, but redone. The entire thing, like you said, is full with cheating and corruption.

Maybe a judge-free style would fare better. Somthing surefire, somthing where a definite winner is made. I'm not sure as to how that would work, but the current rules and regulations need to be trashed. The whole thing is a joke.

I think the Olympics is a way to unite the world into friendly competition. It's a good event, but its getting messed up. With corrupt officials, and countries using superior technology to create better athaletes and devestate other nations, the olympics has changed. Maybe heading back toward the ancient olympics would be a better idea.

[dunno34]

I don't think it should be discontinued, but redone. The entire thing, like you said, is full with cheating and corruption.

Maybe a judge-free style would fare better. Somthing surefire, somthing where a definite winner is made. I'm not sure as to how that would work, but the current rules and regulations need to be trashed. The whole thing is a joke.

I think the Olympics is a way to unite the world into friendly competition. It's a good event, but its getting messed up. With corrupt officials, and countries using superior technology to create better athaletes and devestate other nations, the olympics has changed. Maybe heading back toward the ancient olympics would be a better idea.

yes the ancient ones didn't have sponsors or any of that stuff. it was more about the competion.

[shade]

The entire thing reeks of greed and corruption. So youre saying it has become the UN? :)

[Chewy]

So youre saying it has become the UN? :)
or has too strong a US corporate influence, depends on the how you look at it Shade.

[Asbestos Crayon]

The Olympics should be discontinued. They're nothing but a huge corporate sponsored moneymaking machine. Any pretense of international goodwill and competition are gone. IOC members have been caught trying to sell their influence to potential host cities, games judges have been caught selling their votes, there's a huge steroid scandal. The entire thing reeks of greed and corruption. I'm praying that NYC doesn't get them in 2012.

This is not aimed at droogsteve, just I hear this comments alot from all sorts of people and here is my responce to people that think people that take part in the games just wake up and take a pill or do some doping before they walk into the stadium. It's many years of hard work. Something I know very well from playing collegent football. There's no glory but playing infront of the people for these athletes. The years of practice suck. Not going and doing what other people do sucks. Not eating what you want to sucks. It's 364 X 4 days of sucking with maybe 14 days of enjoyment for your effort.

Actually this year the Greek government is doing almost everything. There are no private groups involved in the planning. Also, I think the Greek governement has also covered most of the bill this year. What you see in the banning of certain brands is the Greek government trying to make back as much of its money as it can by signing contracts with companies trying to get the largest cut it can.

Most of the modern games are all organised by olympic commitee groups hoping to get the games in their city. All the money is donated or payed out by sponsors. Most of the stadiums are build for public use and are not left vacant after the games are over.

And as for countries using superior technology and training to win, I would not say that to the Kenyans. They are by far one of the top distance teams in the world. They get there by running every day and training hard. That is the same with any one in the olympics. They don't sit on ebaumsworld typing shit every day, take a magic pill, then win a gold metal. And besides, those countries that can't afford training centers, are usually allowed and sponcered to goto countries like the US to train at US training centers.

Just watch the games, enjoy, and shut the fuck up for once and let people do what they have trained their whole lives to do. Have some appreciation for dedication for once.

And Chewy, the US has hardly any influence compared to Europe. Just look at the International Olympic Committee sitting members.

http://www.olympic.org/uk/organisation/ioc/executive/members_uk.asp

[Chewy]

And Chewy, the US has hardly any influence compared to Europe. Just look at the International Olympic Committee sitting members.

http://www.olympic.org/uk/organisation/ioc/executive/members_uk.asp
I'm afraid the link is not working Crayon, I would interested in the content.
EDIT:I tracked it down on another link.. it looks pretty evenly spread out for each country. I’m not too sure what your implying. Should all of Europe have the same number of members as the US? US has 3 members Canada has 2 France has 3...? How is that unfair?

[Asbestos Crayon]

The link shows the excecutive olympic commitee. There is only 1 American on it in one of I think 5 VP possitions. If you look a the listing of countries, I think it is obviouse that Europe has majority of possitions compared to the other continents. And being that the EU is starting to form, that would mean one single government will have several spots on the comittee including the Presidency.

Keep trying the link. It works, just the site is really bogged down because the olympics start this Friday.

[puppyroach]

well, alot of European countries there...:), atleast the vice president-posts are evenly split between continents. And although we´re alot of countries in the EU, we are as different as you are from Russia or South africa, we all have different cultures and governments, so therefore you can´t really count us as one republic, we are seperate countries... but there should certainly be more countries from africa, australia, asia and south america, that would be great...

Speaking of the olympics, I don´t think they should discontinue it, but it certainly needs an overhaul. More obligatory checks for anabolic, try to cut down on all the advertising (coca-cola, nike, MC Donalds, Gillette and shit) and try to create an atmosphere of friendship and sportsmanship. Because it really is an amazing event, and most athletes are pure and honest, and their attitude should influence others...

[Asbestos Crayon]

Puppy, ever been to America? We don't have an exact common culture either.

But I do agree with you, the Olympics should stay. If not to remind us that even in times of war, peace and cooperation can still be achieved. I don't think the sponsers will ever be gotten rid of though. The olympics are just too expensive to put on. I do wish they would make the advertising more classy. There is nothing worse than to see signs posted every where. They should only have them posted at their stands. As for TV, hey you don't get to see it without their money, so they get the commercial spots. That's life.

I think the advert thing does effect you Europeans more though because of the growing socialism there. Your government pays for everything. The problem is, the olympics are to expensive for the governments to handle. We are talking billions of dollars here. A happy medium of government and commercial sponsership should be found. After all, all those athletes get their equipment for free because nike gets to say they sponsered the olympics.

[Chewy]

The link shows the excecutive olympic commitee. There is only 1 American on it in one of I think 5 VP possitions. If you look a the listing of countries, I think it is obviouse that Europe has majority of possitions compared to the other continents. And being that the EU is starting to form, that would mean one single government will have several spots on the comittee including the Presidency.

Keep trying the link. It works, just the site is really bogged down because the olympics start this Friday.
Are you suggesting that The US should have equal number of executives as the entire European countries? Your joking right?

[Viceroy]

The Olympics should be discontinued. They're nothing but a huge corporate sponsored moneymaking machine. Any pretense of international goodwill and competition are gone. IOC members have been caught trying to sell their influence to potential host cities, games judges have been caught selling their votes, there's a huge steroid scandal. The entire thing reeks of greed and corruption. I'm praying that NYC doesn't get them in 2012.

So you say, but I don't think you appreciate the atheletes who have trained their whole adult lives to represent their countries. The sponsorship doesn't bother me one bit. It's no different from any other large scale sporting event. People care about the athletes, not the officials and not the sponsors. The vast majority of athletes are entirely fair anyway.

Also I don't think you realise that countries actually like to host the Olympics. I know you think the local people have to put up with a lot of hassle (you've said before), but from what I've heard they're working themselves up into a frenzy of excitement. Doesn't sound like the attitude of people who don't want the Olympics there. Think of all the business they'll get.

I don't wanna tar you with any brush Droog, but you sound like a typical American who thinks if a sport isn't american football or baseball it isn't worth it. Either that or you're blase over the whole thing because America wins so many events.

[Golom]

I don't wanna tar you with any brush Droog, but you sound like a typical American who thinks if a sport isn't american football or baseball it isn't worth it. Either that or you're blase over the whole thing because America wins so many events.

I dont know why but that statement really pissed me off. Can you argue that the the Olyimpic foundation has become a money hungry organistion with a history of law breaking, bribes, drugs, and God knows what else. I'm getting really tired of statements from Europeans making acusations or comments towards america/americans as if their shit doesnt stink.

[Chewy]

Also I don't think you realise that countries actually like to host the Olympics. I know you think the local people have to put up with a lot of hassle (you've said before), but from what I've heard they're working themselves up into a frenzy of excitement. Doesn't sound like the attitude of people who don't want the Olympics there. Think of all the business they'll get.
That's true we are pretty excited about 2010 here in Canada, the Olympics are different here in Canada too, we tend to adopt other countries and root for them as if we were from that country. It’s a weird thing; In Calgary everyone was huge into cheering for Eddy “the eagle” the ski jumper from the UK. I think he was the only representative from England, so we all took him in. Everyone wore T-Shirts to support the guy and wave his the British ensign. We did the same thing for the Jamaican bobsled team. Belarus’ Hockey team in their first year. Even our coverage tends to be different, less focus on just our athletes and more on other countries.

[Viceroy]

I dont know why but that statement really pissed me off. Can you argue that the the Olyimpic foundation has become a money hungry organistion with a history of law breaking, bribes, drugs, and God knows what else. I'm getting really tired of statements from Europeans making acusations or comments towards america/americans as if their shit doesnt stink.

The Olympics is about the athletes. So long as they behave themselves (and most of them do) that's all I care about. If a runner wins the 100m sprint in record time, no amount of corruption and and greed can deny it. It's a fantastic accomplishment.

[Viceroy]

Eddy “the eagle” the ski jumper from the UK.

He's great. He became famous because he just wasn't any good.

[Chewy]

We loved him here I have a friend with an autographed T-Shirt.

[Asbestos Crayon]

No chewie, I wasn't suggesting the US have more seats. Some one previously said the corruption in the IOC was because it was controled by Americans. I was just showing them that the IOC executive committee only had 1 American in it and was dominated by European countries with a large EU block.

[Smoothy]

hmmm dont the olympics NEED big sponsors?
I think it costs coca-cola a couple hundred millions or something.

EDIT: "Coke spokesman Ben Deutsch said Tuesday's meeting was expected to be lengthy, but he wasn't sure whether the company would release any details. Coke, an Olympic sponsor since 1928 that spent some dlrs 200 million on sponsorship and global marketing of the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games, emphasized its continued commitment. "

And that was 8 years ago..

http://www.basketballdraft.com/olympics/news/1999/01/13/ioc_coke/

[Viceroy]

I might add it is presently the American athletes who are letting the side down:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics_2004/3558000.stm