Topic: "full teams" and the Olympic Games

[Shaun Le Conte]

We know that In weightlifting only 260 athletes allowed to compete in the Olympic Games (170 men, 90 women). A full men's team has 6 lifters, a full women's team has 4. How does this compare to other sports in the Olympic Games, and what sports should weightlifting be compared with?

How about track and field? In this instance I believe it's not a fair comparison. Track and field is a much broader sport involving a large number of disciplines. So it's natural that they would have many more competitors.

So I am going to look for the qualification information of sports that are like weightlifting - basic, with 1-2 elements. I think boxing, wrestling, and judo may be suitable.

According to the International Boxing Association, AIBA, a total of 286 athletes are permitted to enter the Olympic Games http://www.aiba.org/olympic/guidelines.aspx  A full team has 6 members. Boxing is a single gender sport.

According to the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, FILA, they can have 344 total athletes (266 men, 64 women, 14 based on individual qualification). They have two different styles of wrestling, considered to be separate disciplines, and both genders. http://www.fila-wrestling.com/images/documents/infos_cio/systeme_qualif_an.pdf

Judo will enter 386 athletes into the Olympic Games (217, 147, 22) A full team is 7 men, 7 women ( one per category). http://en.beijing2008.cn/upload/Qualification/ijf_summary_e.pdf

So now I will ask

• Is weightlifting getting treated unfairly compared to other sports?
• Hve I chosen inappropriate sports for comparison with weightlifting
• What are your thoughts on how Olympic participation numbers by sport should be decided

   





 

[Mike Wittmer]

Very interesting and good questions.

I have been told that weightlifting has fallen out of favor with the IOC.  The main reason for that is drug use.  Before anyone goes ballistic, that's is just what I have heard.  I would guess that T&F, world wide, is as dirty as weightliftng.   

I was also told that there has been talk, probably would not go anywhere, of further downsizing weightlifting in the Olympics.  For example, 56, 69, 85 and 105 would compete in one quad, 62, 77, 94 and 105+ the next.  Doubt it will happen, but it was brought up.