Make football an Olympic Sport

Discussion in 'Other Sports' started by Michi40, Aug 19, 2008.

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  1. Michi40

    Michi40 Lost bullet

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    There have been (many) others WCs and other Teams USA (just one in IFAF's WC), but none recogniced by the IFAF untill 2007, and it has not been untill we have closed the circle with also a Team Usa Jr program to finally make Usa Football (http://www.usafootball.com) a strong organization capable of having NFL and NCAA support, and last but not least NFHS, therefore become to the IFAF the governing asspciation for USA national teams. It happend close to the 2007 WC games, so it was still running on "beta" mode.

    IT is, Great NEWS , the first EVER JUNIOR World Cup, to be hosted in Canton, Ohio, in the summer of 2009: http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/6098/5547

    (Forget about those NFL Junior Global championships to offer rydercup-like matchs with team usa, team ¿europe?, team canada and so)


    www.ifaf.info Is the IFAF official site, also with WCs infos.

    Also, IFAF got into the World Games, which is a COI underprogram for non olympic sports to compete and to demonstrate they can reach Olympic status. Rugby is there... also American Football, since we participated in 2005, and will for sure in 2013, being hosted in Germany (BIG in football and with a strong Federation),

    I do not know about 2009 World Games, since federations will be busy in the JWC (junior WC)
     
  2. TorontoTitanFan

    TorontoTitanFan Pro Bowler

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    There are 2 conditions for a sport to be in the Olympics (there are probably more than 2, but there are 2 main ones that are relevant here).

    1) The sport must be played all over the world, on multiple continents.
    2) There must be good quality competition all over the world.

    Softball is getting kicked out of the Olympics because no countries really care about it except the US and the US just wins the gold every time. If softball can't even qualify to be an Olympic sport, there is no chance in hell that American football will ever make it.
     
  3. Carpy

    Carpy Disgruntled foreign veteran

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    Which actually means both Rugby and Cricket are perfect candidates for the Olympics.
     
  4. Michi40

    Michi40 Lost bullet

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    Hi TorontoTitanFan!

    To answer you i took a copuple of copy&pastes from the international federations pages.

    This from the international softball federation: (http://www.internationalsoftball.com/backsoftball/index.html)

    Increase the number of worldwide softball participants from 8.4 million to 10.5 million, focusing on the youth.
    Increase the number of Softball Federations from 128 to 150 by October 1st, 2009 with an emphasis on the Middle East.

    This from the IFAF:

    The sport has experienced a significant expansion especially in Europe. In 1996, European Federation of American Football (EFAF) was founded followed by International Federation of American Football (IFAF) in 1998. Currently, more than 50 associations in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Oceania are organized within IFAF, representing 23 million athletes world wide.


    I hope you do not get confused by the number of federations softball has, but rather look at the number of participants...

    Also, from the wiki:
    In order for a sport or discipline to be in included in the Summer Olympics program (but not necessarily be contested at the Olympics), it must be widely practiced by men and women,[citation needed] in at least 75 and 50 countries, respectively, spread over four continents
     
  5. TheSureThing

    TheSureThing Straight Cash Homie

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    We would have to call it Soccer because Football is taken...

    And the only teams that would or could participate would be USA, Canada, and some Euro teams...
     
  6. Michi40

    Michi40 Lost bullet

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    & Mexico, Japan & Australia to mention a few others... but "American Football" will make the trick too.
     
  7. PhiSlammaJamma

    PhiSlammaJamma Critical Possession

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    I think they should at least try it as an exhibition sport. I'm surprised more countries don't play it because it seems to have real revenue potential. But I guess you would need their university systems to support it too. I don't know. There is too much money to be made for it to be ignored forever.

    After seeing bsketball go beserk in China. I think Football has a real chance. Baseball not so much. It just insn't as marketable. But Football, it can make it.
     
  8. Gunny

    Gunny Shoutbox Fuhrer

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    Problem is other countries have their own football code, be it Aussie Rules, Soccer or Rugby. American Football is too stop/start for most people to handle.
     
  9. SEC 330 BIPOLAR

    SEC 330 BIPOLAR jive turkey

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    no way, no how... no offense to anyone but American Football isn't going to become an Olympic sport. To think or hope otherwise is an exercise in futility. American Football has no where near the amount of appeal or widespread interest to even sniff exhibition sport let alone become a legit medal sport. Just talking about it is a waste. Besides, if you want to know who is the best in the world at American Football one need to look no further than the NFL... In the NFL, World Champion means exactly that...
     
  10. Michi40

    Michi40 Lost bullet

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    you only need ones interest, and that is youngs choosing it instead of other sport.

    I have seen football teams poping out from where was nothing before. In portugal in four years starting with one flag team, they have three tackle teams in differrent far away cities. As long as people practise it, THAT people will take the effort to understand it.

    The old farts are already lost with soccer and the easy to understand sh¡t.
    It may not happend tomorrow, but it can happen.
     
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