Olympic Petition

[ShaunW]

The following link is for a petition to get angling designated a demostration sport at the 1012 London Olympics.

 

The Petitioner Mr Nick White says "We would like to see angling become a demonstation sport for the 2012 olympics in London. Angling is the UK's largest participation sport, with 1000's of matches throughout the country every week. Please help us make this a reality and let's see angling in the olympics!"

 

If you wish to show your support sign here ;

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Olympic-Angling...olympic-angling

[gozzer]

Sorry mate, I don't see angling as a 'sport' in the sense of an 'Olympic sport'.

 

I don't see how angling would fit in.

No other Olympic event has the capture of live animals as it's objective, so I don't see it going down well with the organisation.

 

John.

[Steve Walker]

I'd be happy to see tournament casting as a demo sport, though. Looks more interesting than chucking sticks, frisbees or cannon balls

[Anderoo]

Tournament casting or fly casting may be of interest, but the actual catching of fish shouldn't be in the olympics in my opinion. I wouldn't even call fishing/angling a 'sport', except perhaps for match fishing.

 

I think showing fishing in this way (catch as many fish as you can in 3 hours) would give the public the wrong impression of what it's really all about. But then again, I am a bluff old traditionalist...

 

(I'm so glad I moved out of London before the Olympics!)

[JonJ]

Sorry mate, I don't see angling as a 'sport' in the sense of an 'Olympic sport'.

 

I don't see how angling would fit in.

No other Olympic event has the capture of live animals as it's objective, so I don't see it going down well with the organisation.

 

John.

 

So are you suggesting that the aspect of match fishing that causes it to not be a sport is solely the capture of live animals? If so would that mean that lassoing wild bulls against the clock (as they do for example in Canadian and American stampede events) would also fail to qualify? If the fish are released safely surely there is not that much difference? I recall reading somewhere that in one year (a long time ago) there was an Olympic event where the competitors shot at live birds rather than clay targets!

 

And if not what aspects of an activity are required for that activity to be considered a competitive sport? Consider shooting for example. Shooting is an activity requiring specialist equipment and a large amount skill. In a shooting competition individuals have a fixed amount of time to shoot at moving targets (say). Based on fixed objective criteria the competitors are ranked in order. This sounds exactly like match fishing to me! You might say that a sport requires physical exertion but angling requires no more than shooting! You might also say that a sport has professionals who compete for pay - but again there are professional anglers (and professional cowboys too for that matter). You might say that angling is different because it involves a much greater degree of luck (in the draw). I would tend to agree (and this is the biggest difference I can think of) - but most sports have some element of luck - a changeable wind in shooting, the lane draw in athletics, etc. You might say no other sports involve animals - but what about horse riding? You might say that in no other sport do animals suffer (if you consider that fish are sufficiently evolved to be 'conscious' of pain)- but I've never seen a horse that liked it when the bit was put into its mouth - and horses dying in jump events (such as the grand national) is not that rare.

 

I agree with you in that I can't ever see Angling becoming an olympic sport - but I think that's mostly a political decision. Whatever criteria you define a sport by - it seems to me that match fishing qualifies.

[gozzer]

You've spent a lot of time telling me what I might say, so I'll tell you what I think.

 

We've had a few threads on here discussing whether angling is thought of as a 'sport'.

Some have said yes it is, some say it's a way of life, some a hobby/pastime.

I have never considered angling a 'sport', even during my match fishing years, (about 15 yrs), I never thought of it as such.

As a spectator event, (other than anglers), I don't think it would hold the attention of most people for the 3-5 hrs duration of a match. As an angler for nearly 50yrs, I wouldn't watch a match for that length of time, especially one on a man made commercial type of water. (I get bored fishing them, never mind watching someone else do it).

 

To the best of my knowledge, (Please correct me if I'm wrong) but lassoing bulls and Rodeo events are not in the Olympics either, so I'm not sure where the comparison comes in. (Same applies to The Grand National).

 

It's a personal thing, I just don't consider myself a 'sportsman' because I participate in angling.

It meets the criteria for most definitions, but I think of it as more 'spiritual' (if that's the right word?) than a sport. It's a way of life, a very large part of who and what I am, and has been for as long as I can remember.

To class it as an Olympic sport, and have all the hype and commercialism that goes with it would, IMO, hasten the demise of angling as some of us know it. It's already heading that way now, and becoming just another 'soulless' institution where size, numbers and profit are the only aim.

 

Just my humble opinion of course.

 

John.

[Dick Dastardly]

No not an Olympic sport for me either.Would like to see Tournement casting in it though.Justified in my eyes as it is to angling what clay pidgeon shooting is to game/rough shooting.

[gozzer]

No not an Olympic sport for me either.Would like to see Tournement casting in it though.Justified in my eyes as it is to angling what clay pidgeon shooting is to game/rough shooting.

 

I agree Budgie, Tournament casting, or maybe flycasting, where distance or accuracy could be measured, might fit the bill.

 

Or, I seem to remember anglers at a swimming pool, with lines attached to swimmers and they had to 'play' them like a fish. (I can't remember who the anglers were).

 

John.

[JonJ]

You've spent a lot of time telling me what I might say, so I'll tell you what I think.

 

When I wrote "you might..." I didn't mean to imply you personally. I mean you as in "one". Sorry that wasn't clear.

 

We've had a few threads on here discussing whether angling is thought of as a 'sport'.

Some have said yes it is, some say it's a way of life, some a hobby/pastime.

 

Sure. But I don't think these are mutually exclusive.

 

I have never considered angling a 'sport', even during my match fishing years, (about 15 yrs), I never thought of it as such.

 

I understand. And I completely agree that pleasure fishing is not a sport. There is an element of competition in pleasure fishing but its between the angler and the fish. A sport needs competition between people. I guess I just find it strange that the default assumption seems to be that match fishing is not a sport when, as you say, by most definitions, when you think about it, it meets the definitions.

 

As a spectator event, (other than anglers), I don't think it would hold the attention of most people for the 3-5 hrs duration of a match. As an angler for nearly 50yrs, I wouldn't watch a match for that length of time, especially one on a man made commercial type of water. (I get bored fishing them, never mind watching someone else do it).

 

You could say the same for the 2+ hours it takes to run a marathon. I tend to agree about the commercials though - at heart I'm a river angler.

 

To the best of my knowledge, (Please correct me if I'm wrong) but lassoing bulls and Rodeo events are not in the Olympics either, so I'm not sure where the comparison comes in. (Same applies to The Grand National).

 

Rodeo events are not in the Olympics (at least I'm pretty sure they're not!) The comparison was simply to suggest another "sport" (also involving animals), that for whatever reasons would seem to have a much better chance of becoming an Olympic sport.

 

It's a personal thing, I just don't consider myself a 'sportsman' because I participate in angling.

It meets the criteria for most definitions, but I think of it as more 'spiritual' (if that's the right word?) than a sport. It's a way of life, a very large part of who and what I am, and has been for as long as I can remember.

 

Sure. It's only match fishing with its element of competition that I'm suggesting makes it a sport. In all sports you can participate at varying "levels". Professional athletes speak of being in the zone - which has a very spiritual ring to it.

 

To class it as an Olympic sport, and have all the hype and commercialism that goes with it would, IMO, hasten the demise of angling as some of us know it. It's already heading that way now, and becoming just another 'soulless' institution where size, numbers and profit are the only aim.

 

Yet most olympic sports have very few participants at any level. Throwing the javelin is an olympic sport but very few people do it and it doesn't have much hype or commercialisim. I tend to think that if angling was made an olympic sport it would simply raise its profile and the main effect of this would be to get more youngsters fishing.

 

£0.02 :-)

[five bellies]

No I wont be signing it,

 

I would not want my passion, dragged into that quagmire of political one up manship that is as much played out against goverments as it is against competitors,No Not a good idea, I could also imagine the out cry at the first fish that goes belly up on International TV Not to mention the Hay day the antis would have at the chance of disrupting an Olympic event for the whole world to see.

 

sorry mate

Edited September 11, 2007 by five bellies