Synchro and the Olympics, (formerly Torino 06 topic) Options

[Pebbles]

I have heard/read many, many times that some people think that synchro will be a demonstration sport in 2006. I have gone through the Torino website and have not found a single reference to synchro. It does not appear anywhere and does not seem to be scheduled. Maybe somebody else can find something? I can't.

From www.torino2006.org:

"SOME FIGURES FOR THE TORINO 2006 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES
15 sports: biathlon, bobsleigh, Nordic combined, curling, freestyle, ice hockey, figure skating, speed skating, ski jumping, Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, short-track, skeleton, luge and snowboard."

Under figure skating, only the classic four are listed: ladies, men, pairs, dance.

I guess we'll have to wait and see for 2010.

[2012 syncher]

2010 will be a summer games not a winter games, i guess we will have to wait until 2012 for synchro in the olympics, i guess by then it will hopefully be in

[luna_soul]

2010 is a Winter Olympics. They will be held in Vancouver. The Olympics are held every 4 years.

[Synchrodaddy]

Yes, there is no hurry at the moment with a 16 skaters team to get to the Olympics. If synchro is a demonstrator dicipline in Vancouver 2010, it is possible, that it will be present at 2014 Winterolympics. If not, next possibility is 2018 and so on.

So there is no reason to start with 16 skaters in 2004..2005 season. Teams have to start training allready after WSSC in April.

There is a lot of time to change team size, if mandatory to get to the Olympics.

[Guest]

Just so you all know, synchronized swimming started as an exhibition sport in the 1948 olympics and was granted full medal sport status in the 1984 games. I don't know the turn around for most newer sports but it could take a while. I would love to see it as an exhibition in 2006 then a full sport in 2010. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

[Venus]

The whole point of the topic is to point out that synchro willNOT[U] be a demo sport in 2006.

[Pebbles]

From the Australien Sports Ferderation website, this explanation :

"Demonstration Sports & Past Olympics

Since 1904 there have been a variety of demonstration sports held as part of the Games but not as official events eligible for medals. Some of the events have later become official sports, such as basketball, badminton, baseball and tennis. Originally, demonstration sports and events were included as an opportunity to showcase sports or events which were unique to the country hosting the Games. They have since evolved into a much more important aspect of the Olympic Games.

Today, participation in the Olympics (Winter or Summer) as a demonstration sport or event often serves as a stepping stone in the application for consideration as a future Olympic sport. The sport must first be recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) under the conditions that it has an International Federation (IF) and that this Federation has held a World Championship competition. The sport may then be included as a demonstration sport, and the sport's International Federation may make an application to the IOC for consideration as an Olympic Sport. This application process must take place a minimum of six years before a scheduled Olympic Games."

[Pebbles]

This is from a Waterskiing site (about.waterskiing.com), which is currently fighting to become an Olympic sport:

"THE EFFORT TO GAIN OLYMPIC STATUS

The following is an explanation of what the sport of waterskiing has gone through in its attempt to gain Olympic status, from Graziano Tognala, International Water Ski Federation Secretary General. It's quite a drawn-out process

A sport wanting to become an Olympic sport should at least be recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for several years, and it also must reach certain standards of activity, competition and membership around the world, and then pass through a provisional status for about two years.

It is up to the Organizer of an Olympic Games to propose the IOC to insert one or more new sports into the program. In our case, the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games - Athens 2004 (ATHOC) has officially proposed to the IOC to insert waterskiing. ATHOC chose waterski out of two sports (waterskiing and fin swimming) proposed to them by the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC). The HOC made their decision in September, 1998. ATHOC sent their official proposal to the IOC in June 1999, delay due to the internal scandals in the IOC.

From here on two further steps have to be taken: the Coordination Committee of the IOC for the Olympic Games in Athens and the IOC EB must approve the proposal of the ATHOC. Their decision then will be ratified by the IOC plenary session before coming effective. This is expected to happen between the September Sydney Olympics and December of 2000.

Of course, all this does not come by itself. Since its creation in 1947, the International Water Ski Federation (IWSF) has promoted and developed waterskiing throughout the World. We were even the Olympic demonstration sport in Munchen! Since 1997 we have dedicated ourselves to the promotion of waterskiing at the Olympic level. We set up a waterski demonstration in Seville (June 1998) to show waterskiing to all the presidents of the National Olympic Committees and the IOC members. Waterski is a very attractive, athletic and spectacular sport, but we found out that before 1997, it was not known very well. The IWSF produced brochures, videos and facts and figure booklets to educate people what waterski is all about. Our president and secretary general attended all the important IOC meetings to make sure that there are no excuses to forget about waterski.

The funds to pay for all these campaigns have been raised within the waterski family, also using on-line gift possibilities. We still need to collect funds, to finish the last two stages of our Olympic quest.

However, promotion alone is not enough, the entire waterskiing family (over 89 federations and more than 50,000,000 skiers around the world) has made petitions and written support letters to convince the IOC that we really should become Olympic. It is important that the IOC sees that waterski is a popular sport all over the world. In fact, we are still collecting signatures.

Graziano Tognala
Secretary General
International Water Ski Federation"

Just a little taste of the battle ahead of us...

[Pebbles]

A quick Google search shows the following "sports" (and I use the term loosely) are also complaing and/or trying to gain Olympic status:

Fin Swimming
Bridge
Auto Racing
Dance Sport (Competitive social dance)
Go (I don't know what that is)
Ten Pin Bowling
Bocce

Chess has been given demonstration sport status.

[Pebbles]

From the Olympic Charter, page 81

"2 Disciplines

2.1 A discipline, being a branch of an Olympic sport comprising one or
several events, must have a recognized international standing to be
included in the programme of the Olympic Games.

2.2 The standards for the admission of disciplines are the same as those
required for the admission of Olympic sports.

2.3 A discipline is admitted to the programme at least seven years
before specific Olympic Games in respect of which no change
shall thereafter be permitted.

3 Events

3.1 An event, being a competition in an Olympic sport or in one of its
disciplines and resulting in a ranking, gives rise to the award of
medals and diplomas.

3.2 To be included in the programme of the Olympic Games, events
must have a recognized international standing both numerically and
geographically, and have been included at least twice in world or
continental championships.

3.3 Only events practised by men in at least fifty countries and on three
continents, and by women in at least thirty-five countries and on
three continents, may be included in the programme of the
Olympic Games.

3.4 Events are admitted four years before specific Olympic Games in
respect of which no change shall thereafter be permitted.

5 IFs’ (International Federation) Notice of Participation in the Olympic Games
The IFs governing the sports included in the programme of the Olympic
Games must confirm to the IOC their participation in the respective
Olympic Games not later than at the time of the IOC Session which elects
the host city for such Games."

[Pebbles]

More from the charter:

"54 Qualifying Events Organized by the IFs

1 For certain sports, the IFs may organize qualifying events or otherwise
establish a limited participation in order to designate the competitors,
particularly teams in team sports, who will take part in the Olympic
Games."

"56 Participation in the Olympic Games*

The number of entries is fixed by the IOC Executive Board, following
consultation with the relevant IFs, two years before the Olympic Games.

Bye-law to Rule 56
1 The number of entries in the individual events shall not exceed that
provided for in the World Championships and shall, in no event, exceed
three per country. The IOC Executive Board may grant exceptions for
certain winter sports.

2 For team sports, the number of teams shall not exceed twelve teams for
each gender and not be less than eight teams, unless the IOC Executive
Board decides otherwise."

[Fâché]

QUOTE (Pebbles @ Mar 26 2004, 08:45 AM)

2 For team sports, the number of teams shall not exceed twelve teams for each gender and not be less than eight teams, unless the IOC Executive Board decides otherwise."

this may prove to be a bit of a problem then - I can't see it being that great of a competition when only the top 12 countries would get to send one team. I realize that our team sport dynamics are slightly different to those like hockey, soccer, basketball, etc. And in the case of synchronzied swimming, they have only 10 swimmers on their teams.

[Pebbles]

We had 6 senior teams at Nats and it was a great competition. If we have to send our twelve best I have no problem with that. I'd rather see 12 in a tense, tight quality competition than not be in the Olympics because we want to send more than 12 teams. IMO

ETA : Worlds would continue to have everyone inculded of course, so I have no problem with sending the 12 best to Olys.

[Spreadeagle]

QUOTE (Pebbles @ Mar 26 2004, 09:30 AM)

A quick Google search shows the following "sports" (and I use the term loosely) are also complaing and/or trying to gain Olympic status: Fin Swimming Bridge Auto Racing Dance Sport (Competitive social dance) Go (I don't know what that is) Ten Pin Bowling Bocce Chess has been given demonstration sport status.

Chess?!?!?!?!?! No offense to chess players--it's a very respectable and difficult game, but I'm sorry, it is not an athletic event, nor really much of a spectator event, IMO. But hey, there aren't 24 players on a team and it requires little set-up, virtually no official practice time, and can be done anywhere. Maybe that's where the priorities of the IOC lie.

[Pebbles]

Well, I disagree with chess as well, but what else can we say?

And auto racing is trying to get in, even though the Oly charter specifically states that it will not incluse sports that rely solely on 'mechanical propulsion'.

[iceangel99]

I think every time the subject of winter olympics and synchro has come up over the past 12+ years, people have started saying that synchro would be a demonstration sport. I remember hearing this a year or so before the Olympics in 02, 98 AND 94. (and even as a kid, I figured that if synchro were in the olympics by 02, I'd be 21 yrs old and the perfect age to try out for the top team in the nation or a "US team," I'm sure many of us thought that way.) It obviously hasn't happened yet, and won't be happening for 06. Yes, it's a shame, but this is a relatively young sport we're talking about. It's taken other sports that have been around for years far longer to get there. Yes, synchro has been around since 54, but we've only really been having national compeitions, at least in the US, for 21 yrs, and worlds is still a very new concept (the first world challenge cup was what, 96?) I think our time will come someday, but until then we have to be patient.

And yes, they really should not put that 16 skater stuff into affect now...or ever...but that's just my opinion.

[Guest]

QUOTE

Go (I don't know what that is)

Just fyi, it's a board game (from Japan I believe). My 5th grade teacher was obsessed with the game and my class had countless numbers of go tournements.

There are black and white little circular stones and it looks rather like checkers or reversi (if anyone knows what that is... the game with black and white stones and you try to get the most number of stones on the board by cornering the opposite color stones between 2 of your stones which then flips the stone(s) of opposite color into your color) except the stones are placed where the lines of the board cross, not where the open square is. The point of the game is not to have the most pieces on the board, but to gain the most territory.

So, it's a board game, no athletic prowess is necessary, just strategy like chess.

[Pebbles]

QUOTE (SyracuseOrangeRocks @ Mar 26 2004, 12:06 PM)

It's taken other sports that have been around for years far longer to get there. I think our time will come someday, but until then we have to be patient.

I've put forth that opinion many times.

[Fâché]

in the same respect - snowboarding has not been around long, and was granted full olympic sport status quite quickly. I don't think it was ever a demo sport? I could be wrong....I do realize though, that this is due to a) it's popularity, and b) again, only single person entries, and the facilities for the downhill are already there. But it does mean that not all sports take a long time to get in. I do think though, that because ours is not as popular, it will take time and lobbying from the entire synchro world.

[luna_soul]

I see a major problem with the fact that the ISU keeps changing the rules. In one of the excerpts Pebbles posted above, it says that once you are admitted, your rules can not change. It seems like synchro hasn't had the same set of rules for more than two season in a row since the change to 20 skaters came in. Obviously, the ISU wants to get a jump on the Olympic process by dropping the number to 16 NOW, but if we get into the Olys with it, then decide it sucks, we are stuck with it.

ETA: I also don't see the IOC being in favour of admitting a sport that changes its rules so often. We need some solidity. It testifies to the fact that we are still a young sport, and makes it even less likely for us to get in, IMO. The sport hasn't been around long enough for us to find the best forumla yet.

Edited to add the excerpt I mentioned:

"2.3 A discipline is admitted to the programme at least seven years
before specific Olympic Games in respect of which no change
shall thereafter be permitted."