7 sports make case for 2016 Olympic place

baseball - no running = not a sport

softball - see baseball

golf - see baseball

karate - maybe

roller sports - What, like making bread If they're timed events, like speed skating, then okay. If they're exhibition events, like figure skating, then no.

rugby and squash - maybe; more athleticism needed than in baseball, but it's still not an athletic action, like a high jump, spring or javelin throw.

I think the Olympics would lose more than half of its sports with that kind of judging...

Anything that doesn't involve a pool, track or a boat is fine by me. I don't see why they have to limit the event to 28 sports. Let rich sports like golf and baseball buy an additional slot with outside media coverage and bump the number of sports up to 30. That way golf fanatics can watch the whole thing on a golf-only channel instead of getting to see only 20 minutes of from the official broadcaster.

Personally, I'd like to see softball come back. Let the tom boys have their chance to shine.

baseball - no running = not a sport

Have you ever seen a stolen base? A player stretch out a double to a triple?

That's nine countries in the Americas and three US-influenced countries in East Asia.

Yes, correct.

Except cricket has Test Status teams and National Federations in each of the five continents the Olympic Rings represent, as does rugby. Baseball as a gloabl sport is a poor comparison by any stretch of the imagination.

Replying to what stanoue said, I think there was a lot of that sort of negativity about the BMX before the 2008 games, but the event itself proved to everyone that it was a worthy addition to the games.

It was fun, exciting, interesting, and successful, everything that it was hoped to be.

baseball: No as long as MLB continue to retain their stance (however forseeable many an MLB player may fail the drug test!). softball: no thanks.... Golf: If they can include tennis why not as long as we get, woods, garcia etc. plus many nations can participate. Karate: sure if Taekwondo adn judo are in why not. Roller Sports: Keep them to the x-games. Rugby: 7s definetely. The likes of Fiji, Tonga NZ are medal candidates. Squash: Sure. well diversified representationa nd actually very enjoyable.

That's nine countries in the Americas and three US-influenced countries in East Asia.

Yes, correct.

Mark:

Baseball is very popular in ...

That's nine countries in the Americas and three US-influenced countries in East Asia. About as widely popular as cricket, then.

baseball - no running = not a sport

softball - see baseball

golf - see baseball

karate - maybe

roller sports - What, like making bread If they're timed events, like speed skating, then okay. If they're exhibition events, like figure skating, then no.

rugby and squash - maybe; more athleticism needed than in baseball, but it's still not an athletic action, like a high jump, spring or javelin throw.

Please please PLEASE no Karate....Judo is bad enough,really ugly sport to watch.

Golf is not a sport! How about surfing?

Roller sports would be as silly as BMX racing - and it's hard enough already getting fair judging on artistic/subjective sports. Flammenwerfer- I agree and if 7s was an Olympic sport you can guarantee more countries would put up teams than those who have participated in the (expensive) world circuit. Think PNG, Wales, some more African nations...

Why not go back to the originals? Greased wrestling (naked); armored fist boxing (naked); 400 m dash in full bronze armor panoply; a genuine Marathon run from Marathon to Athens (naked); chariot races (naked horses); and of course, wanton drunkenness and buggery.

Take baseball for instance: only USA and Japan have a significant number of fans and support.

LostinNagoya - What? The professional baseball players in The Korea Baseball Organization would likely disagree. Baseball is very popular in Canada, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Taiwan and Venezuela as well.

Agree fully with thundercat AND Ninjazilla in scratching the Olympics. We have the winter sports coming here in 2010 or something along that date & Province of B.C. in deep debts along with illegal loans all of which the Provincial Govt will be taxed the tax payers while Federal Govt will also hand in needed money taken from the tax payers.

"Ditch 'em all. The Olympics is already bloated with far too many games that only appeals to an exclusive niche community".

I agree with Weasel on this one, keep the Olympics to field sports only.

Rugby 7's would be exciting, but not widely inclusive.

what? Argentina, USA, Canada, NZ, South Africa, Georgia, France, Japan, GB, Ireland, Australia, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Italy. There are 15 countries that could realistically make the podium of a 7s competition and a worldwide spread of all continents too. Dont confuse 15 a side with 7s - they are quite different.

Big problem is that these sports are not popular oustide a limited number of coutries. Take baseball for instance: only USA and Japan have a significant number of fans and support. Can you imagine a baseball game between, say, Holland and Peru? I can´t, God forbid. The best picks would be karate and roller sports, which are practiced around the globe and would attract TV and public, which is what really matters in today´s Olympics.

Golf is truly an international sport, it should get the nod from the IOC.

In my opinion, sports that already have international tournaments (ie, football has world cup, baseball has world baseball classic etc) should not be included in the olympics. Teams sports, for the most part, have no place in the olympics, especially if the top players in the sport cannot attend because of professional commitments.

They should have had Rugby for London Olympics. Fifa should get aggressive and make Olympics official tournament so all stars would perticipate. Also beach soccer and futsal would have been great additions.

Rugby 7s would be great And a great boost for minor nations It would make the Olympics much more interesting

Ditch the entire olympics itself,starting with these glorified beureacrats.

Squash I could definately see.

Karate, if they can come up with an easy-to-follow scoring system.

Rugby 7's would be exciting, but not widely inclusive.

The rest I think shouldn't get close.