Time to refocus the Olympics on sport, not money

By David Dawkins - The Marlborough Express

The Olympic Games must soon be considering a motto change.

The words Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger) have been the Olympic motto since they were proposed by games creator Pierre de Coubertin in 1894. However, in recent years, the Olympic ideal seems to moving towards Bigger, Fatter and Richer.

The decision to include golf and rugby sevens smacks of nothing more than an attempt to rake more money into a committee that has become increasingly profit-motivated.

The games have become an event that every four years proudly trumpets a new record for participants, countries involved and sports played.

The two newest additions will certainly add to the stats. But at what cost?

The current requirement for a sport to be considered part of the Summer Olympic programme is that it must be widely practised by men and women in at least 75 and 50 countries respectively, spread over four continents.

Golf may fit the criteria – but rugby? Can you name 75 countries where rugby is widely played?

Even in some of the world's major rugby powers – Argentina and Australia – it is hard to argue that rugby is widely played.

The two sports are even further removed from those of the current Olympics' forerunner, the Ancient Olympics.

They were truly about Faster, Higher, Stronger, and the sports showed that.

Starting with just a sprint, the programme expanded over the centuries to include longer distance running races, boxing, wrestling, pankration (a form of mixed martial arts), chariot racing and a pentathlon (involving wrestling, running, long jump, javelin and discus).

Rugby and golf will bring the total of sports at Rio 2016 to 28, though in reality there are many more, with many disciplines included under one sport. For example, track and field athletics is one sport but includes many disciplines.

Instead of adding sports, the IOC should be pruning – and with a chainsaw.

Sports that were played in the Ancient Olympics get a reprieve, so track and field, boxing, wrestling, and judo and taekwondo (as martial arts) are all safe.

First off, all team sports need to go.

Bye bye basketball, under-23 football, water polo, volleyball, hockey, handball and rugby.

Beach volleyball is a very watchable sport but is about as far from Olympic as you can get – so that's gone, too.

Anything that doesn't firmly fit the Faster, Higher, Stronger mantra should disappear. I'm looking at you, synchronised swimming, rhythmic and trampoline gymnastics, diving, eventing, badminton, tennis, table tennis and golf.

Modern pentathlon misses out because, quite frankly, the combination of sports is bizarre.

We are left with 15 sports that either fit the Olympic motto or have a long tradition at the modern games.

The original five are joined by "faster" sports swimming, canoeing, cycling (but without BMX and mountainbiking), rowing, sailing and triathlon.

Weightlifting is definitely stronger, while gymnastics blends all three.

Fencing remains because of its presence at every modern Olympics and the gladiatorial feel of ancient Greece.

I'd keep archery for a similar reason, even though it has had a come-and-go relationship with the games. Shooting sneaks in as archery's modern equivalent.

Sadly, we live in a world of bigger is better, and ever since amateurism was cast aside, that is true for the Olympics, too.

On the bright side, at least Tiger Woods will get something new to add to his trophy cabinet.