{"id":1137,"date":"2016-07-15T08:41:10","date_gmt":"2016-07-15T08:41:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blnebeuk.serveur04.com\/blog\/?p=1137"},"modified":"2016-07-27T14:47:52","modified_gmt":"2016-07-27T14:47:52","slug":"rio-2016-the-olympic-golf-tournament-whats-all-the-fuss-about","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.netbet.co.uk\/blog\/2016\/07\/15\/rio-2016-the-olympic-golf-tournament-whats-all-the-fuss-about\/","title":{"rendered":"Rio 2016: The Olympic Golf Tournament \u2013 What\u2019s all the fuss about?"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

\"15-07-2016<\/p>\n

The Olympic Games were established on the basis that those competing were amateur athletes, not professionals. In the simplest terms, athletes who don\u2019t earn a living off the back of their sporting achievements. The argument that the IOC has had to adapt to a variety of economic, political and technological advancements is all fine and dandy, but these all take away from the centrepiece attraction, the actual sport and competition.<\/p>\n

Having athletes who make money off the back of the Olympics is one thing, but what about the IOC specifically allowing sports to take place purely for financial gain? Enter the Olympic golf competition. Damned before it has even begun and one of the biggest PR disasters of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (and there\u2019s been a few PR disasters). Does the IOC love golf? Or does the IOC love money more? The USA loves the Olympics, the USA loves golf, NBC loves golf, and NBC funds the Olympics\u2026 Golf was announced as an Olympic sport in 2009 for the first time since 1904. Tiger Woods was playing in 2009 and was, and arguably still is a huge global star. His decline wasn\u2019t anticipated, but no doubt that he\u2019d be pushed as the star of the Olympic golf tournament.<\/p>\n

\"250x250\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Many of the top stars have withdrawn from the competition, including all of the top 4, citing the threat of the Zika virus. But is this really the case? As damaging as the Zika virus may be, youngsters don\u2019t learn to play golf with an Olympic gold medal in mind. An Olympic medal in golf is not the pinnacle of the sport, golfers play to win green jackets at Augusta or Claret Jugs at The Open, not Olympic medals. If player withdrawals weren\u2019t damning enough, Rory McIlroy\u2019s comments surely were. \u201cI won\u2019t be watching golf at the Olympics because I shall be watching the stuff that matters\u2026 I\u2019ll be watching the track and field, the swimming, diving \u2013 the stuff that matters.\u201d A glowing condemnation of the Olympic golf tournament, Jordan Spieth did his best to justify his withdrawal, but the knife has been well and truly stuck in.<\/p>\n

Another flawed argument for the Olympic golf tournament is the host city and nation of the Olympics. Brazil is not a hotbed for golfing talent and the course had to be constructed purely for the Olympics. Compare this with London 2012 or Tokyo 2020, the UK is the home of golf with hundreds of courses across the country, whilst Japan is a rising force in the golfing world. Golf should have been introduced either four years ago or in four years\u2019 time, not now.<\/p>\n

There is certainly a place for golf in the tournament, but should a professional player be deserving of winning a gold medal? No, as shown by the sheer numbers who\u2019ve decided to withdraw. Open it up to amateur golfers and it would be more valid. Amateur golfers wouldn\u2019t have turned down an opportunity to play at the Olympics and potentially secure a professional deal. They\u2019d have found a reason to play, not a reason to be absent.<\/p>\n

Words by @DominicTrant<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Olympic Games were established on the basis that those competing were amateur athletes, not professionals. In the simplest terms, athletes who don\u2019t earn a living off the back of their sporting achievements. The argument that the IOC has had to adapt to a variety of economic, political and technological advancements is all fine and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1141,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[301,298,299,303,302,304,300],"class_list":["post-1137","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-brazil","tag-golf","tag-olympics","tag-rio-2016","tag-rory-mcilroy","tag-tiger-woods","tag-zika"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nRio 2016: Olympic Golf Tournament \u2013 What\u2019s all the fuss about?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Many of the top stars have withdrawn from the competition, including all of the top 4, citing the threat of the Zika virus. 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