lewiebakes 7 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 What if the USA and Russia BOTH threatened to boycott 2020 without wrestling in the Olympics? That means millions if not billions in lost revenue for the sponsors and IOC. We all know the only language the IOC speaks is cash. What does everyone think? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Witherman 384 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 Never gunna happen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
silver-medal 670 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 Add in the Iranians and about a dozen smaller countries. Personally, I think Vlad Putin will solve this in less than five minutes when the time comes. And when he's done there, let's have him fix the high school weights that got so f-cked up by the idiots in the NFSHSA. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skikayaker 93 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 No doubt Vladamir Putin will have some influence on this issue, uh hum, one way : ) or another. The Russians and the Iranians will be fired up and push this issue as well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
afgrasshoppa 1 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 What if the USA and Russia BOTH threatened to boycott 2020 without wrestling in the Olympics? That means millions if not billions in lost revenue for the sponsors and IOC. We all know the only language the IOC speaks is cash. What does everyone think? Possibly the dumbest post ever. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skikayaker 93 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 Not all that dumb. Unlikely, but not dumb. If the IOC continues to violate the principles and spirit of the Olympics it becomes an integrity issue that you may at some point decide to stand true to your core principles and values. Leverage, muscle, and that ace in the hole are valuable tools with any negotiation. The top five wrestling nations could easily threaten to boycott with a 99% certainty that the 10+ pipsqueaks that represent the committee would fold like a cheap suit. Heck, we could make them grease our palms with that kind of leverage. They are wolves in sheeps clothing so to speak. They are chumps who think they can manipulate a kick-back opportunity. The tables could very well be flipped upside down if they're not careful. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
afgrasshoppa 1 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 Not all that dumb. Unlikely, but not dumb. If the IOC continues to violate the principles and spirit of the Olympics it becomes an integrity issue that you may at some point decide to stand true to your core principles and values. Leverage, muscle, and that ace in the hole are valuable tools with any negotiation. The top five wrestling nations could easily threaten to boycott with a 99% certainty that the 10+ pipsqueaks that represent the committee would fold like a cheap suit. Heck, we could make them grease our palms with that kind of leverage. They are wolves in sheeps clothing so to speak. They are chumps who think they can manipulate a kick-back opportunity. The tables could very well be flipped upside down if they're not careful. USA and any other relevant country will never ever ever ever never ever ever consider this. Ever. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dsnc471 25 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 The idea is dumb, not because the threat, if carried out, wouldn't have an effect, but because the threat is not credible because it would never happen. Wrestling represents a tiny, TINY percentage of athletes in the Olympics for both the USA and Russia. An entire country is not going to sacrifice all of it's athletes because of a few. The boycotts in 1980 and 1984 were purely political and cannot be used as analogies in this case. Both countries would end up losing a lot of money as well. Public outcry to an Olympic boycott would be monumental, and would actually make the general public hate wrestling. This would be like if a doctor told you that he needed to amputate your leg because you sprained your ankle. It's just a ridiculous proposal on many levels. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skikayaker 93 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 My question would then be at what level of corruption with the IOC, or the United Nations with regard to international politics, would a country such as the United States decide to not invest in activities involving athletics with the IOC or international politics with the U.N.? It has long been discussed to pull out of the U.N. If the IOC decides to make "wakeboarding", x-games, and elitist sports like modern pentathalon the focus of the games in an effort to shape and/or change the landscape of athletic participation throughout the world for generations to come perhaps the U.S. will decide they are not interested in participating. The question is how corrupt must an institution become before you decide not to do business with them anymore? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skikayaker 93 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 PS: We're talking about 12 privileged men, 7 of which come from western Europe, an area of the world that does not support wrestling. At minimum the IOC leadership needs to be evaluated and the cronyism and corruption need to be investigated. Seems that their M.O. is to object or pull a program, renogotiate the decision which seems to be code word for kick-backs, then reverse their early decision. They recently did this with women's ski jumping in Vancouver, and with China internet censorship. Now they're doing this with FILA. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SetonHallPirate 990 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 Either of those countries boycotting is about as likely as Paris Hilton coming to my house and tucking me into bed tonight. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tec87 349 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 Either of those countries boycotting is about as likely as Paris Hilton coming to my house and tucking me into bed tonight. Had to re-read the tucking in part to make sure I read it correctly. :D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Witherman 384 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 Lol I read it incorrectly and couldn't believe shp said that! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brutus81 4 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 Personally, I think Vlad Putin will solve this in less than five minutes when the time comes. Upon reflection, I tend to agree with you. Only half in jest, I wouldn't put it past him to at least threaten to turn off the entire natural gas supply to the whole of Western Europe until those effete horse-riding, wake-boarding sissies at the IOC re-consider. His selling point -- the Olympics needs athletes with back hair and uni-brows, in the name of diversity. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jammen 339 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 USA and any other relevant country will never ever ever ever never ever ever consider this. Ever. We withdrew from the Olympic Games when Russia invaded Afghanistan. Oh, the irony. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lewiebakes 7 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 Wrestling is 3rd in Gold medals won for the USA and for Russia it's the 2nd highest in Gold per sport (1 medal behind track and field) not saying it WOULD happen but to say the USOC or Russian Federation doesnt care about wrestling is incorrect. While a boycott would be a longshoy, the THREAT could be used as leverage. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tofurky 616 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 My question would be which major Olympic sponsors are begging for the opportunity to book end the one or two matches that air on tape delay and last no longer than 10 minutes in total running time? Those folks are tripping over one another to have their commercials running during basketball, swimming, gymnastics and women's beach volleyball events. They've done their market research and they know that if wrestling weren't in the Olympic Games that almost no one would notice because you rarely see it there anymore. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dsnc471 25 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 The question is how corrupt must an institution become before you decide not to do business with them anymore? Well, the cynical answer is that you continue to do business until the level of corruption is so high your own business suffers financially. Total revenue dollars associated with the Olympics for US companies is probably in the billions, which is why they spend so much as sponsors.....obviously they make that up in sales. NBC alone paid over a billion for the exclusive rights to broadcast in the USA, which is why getting coverage this year was such a pain in the ass if you didn't have cable.....they were getting their money back through deals with cable companies. Etc. etc. Nobody boycotts a business offer that can make you billions. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DocRevue 0 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 Thinking like this is how we get outmaneuvered by the people who run modern pentathlon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
epek 3 Report post Posted February 15, 2013 Never gunna happen 1980 and 1984 it happened. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SetonHallPirate 990 Report post Posted February 15, 2013 Never gunna happen 1980 and 1984 it happened. Uh, no...in 1980 the United States boycotted, in 1984 the Soviet Union boycotted. Neither ever boycotted the same Olympics. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gimpeltf 2,069 Report post Posted February 15, 2013 Never gunna happen 1980 and 1984 it happened. Uh, no...in 1980 the United States boycotted, in 1984 the Soviet Union boycotted. Neither ever boycotted the same Olympics. 1940, 1944 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TripNSweep 763 Report post Posted February 15, 2013 In 1940 and 1944 I don't think they held the Olympics during those years, so there really wasn't anything to boycott. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gimpeltf 2,069 Report post Posted February 15, 2013 In 1940 and 1944 I don't think they held the Olympics during those years, so there really wasn't anything to boycott. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SixStringer 0 Report post Posted February 15, 2013 The problem is that the olympics is essentially a monopoly. And we capitalists have learned that monopiles are not generally good for the consumer and for other businesses. So.. The US, Russia, all of the Stans, IRAN, Japan.. etc. Basically the countries with money.. should simply start a "new and Improved" olympic competition.. And simply compete with the current olympics. ;) No Boycott.. Just a better product.. I say this with tongue in cheek. But it would be poetic justice.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
