The Olympics

[Andy Macfarlane]

While I agree, there are some sports that probably have no place in the Olympics, I cannot go along with the notion that fishing should be included. There is far to much luck involved in fishing and there is no way to guarantee a level playing field unless you fill a pond with identical species of identical weights, with identical diets and so on.

I can see it now. Some fat bloater with a 30 a day smoking habit, who couldn't jog to his local newsagent without having a coronary, stepping up to the podium to receive his medal.

 

"This makes all my training worth while. I've been getting up at 6am every Saturday for the last 4 years, except when it's raining or when the wife wants to do some shopping. I've had my ups and downs, blanks and red letter days and I almost thought I was going to miss it this year when I had to go into hospital for my triple-heart bypass and I tested positive for Temazepam but here I am. It wasn't easy. I spilt my maggots, I was eaten alive by midges but I got there in the end"

 

Fishing in the Olympics....yea right....

[Anderoo]

For something to be a proper sport there has to be competition against other people. This is where fishing doesn't qualify for me. But maybe match anglers see it differently?

[Andy_1984]

oi, stop talking about me.

[Steve Walker]

I'd happily include tournament casting, though.

[SPSwallow]

Who'd watch it? Angling programmes teach you something and can be interesting to watch, but a group of silent anglers sat on a bankside staring at floats isn't exactly good viewing for the olympics, god knows I find the olympics boring enough already.

 

Although, we'd probably have a good chance of winning for a change

[terry t shirt]

Could you imagine the arguments of the olympic comittee on who to pick for the team though??

How many applicants have we go for the angling competition MR Coe ... Oh 3 million give or take a few and are we allowing bloodworm and joker???

[Peter Waller]

Strange this, in the past there have been numerous calls for angling to be an Olympic sport, especially considering some of the less than popular sports that are included. Have to say that I have no feeling either way, although I like the idea of angling being accepted as a 'sport'. It would indicate a level of credibility that might be useful to angling though. Stuff the rowing course full of identical sized fish, sorted!

[Dan Dan]

I don't think of fishing as even a sport. I see it as a passtime, a way to return to old ways of human nature. There would definately be interest by match anglers or specimin hunters, but if they had it their way it'd be all sponsors and no fishing. Team GB would win Gold though, so maybe there lies one reason...so we're not bottom of the medal table.

[Guest tigger]

I don't think of fishing as even a sport. I see it as a passtime, a way to return to old ways of human nature.

 

 

Yeah me to.

There are to many variables in fishing to make it a true indication of an anglers skill.

Edited August 14, 2008 by tigger

[pikergonecarpin]

I'd happily include tournament casting, though.

 

I'd agree with that, and maybe tag on fly casting accuracy, something i've been useless at for years