The Paris Olympics: General Discussion And Anticipation

[annzeepark914]

Well...I'm out! The only summer Olympic event that I've ever been interested is women's gymnastics. Now, I'm ready for the winter Olympics (hope it's cold enough 😟).

[xls]

Women's Kayaking: WTH was that? They need to go back to the drawing board with that stupid 'obstacle' course! it was such a hot mess I was laughing! 

Why not just a straight race like rowing?

[Girl in a Cardigan]

20 hours ago, Chaser said:

I don’t remember an Olympic Games with this many celebrities. I remember some coming out to see Phelps but this is A LOT. I don’t know if it’s because it’s in Paris and the glamour of that or what. 

I also heard on a podcast that Louis Vuitton (or well, the conglomerate that owns them) is underwriting a lot of these Games, so they are doing a lot behind the scenes to get celebs there. But I'm sure Paris in the summer isn't a hard sell either.

[chessiegal]

8 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

Well...I'm out! The only summer Olympic event that I've ever been interested is women's gymnastics. Now, I'm ready for the winter Olympics (hope it's cold enough 😟).

Women's gymnastics isn't over. Individual events will be broadcast today.

[surfgirl]

5 hours ago, Girl in a Cardigan said:

I also heard on a podcast that Louis Vuitton (or well, the conglomerate that owns them) is underwriting a lot of these Games, so they are doing a lot behind the scenes to get celebs there. But I'm sure Paris in the summer isn't a hard sell either.

Aha! Yes, I knew this but forgot, and you're right, I'd bet they've comped a lot of these US celebs and are putting them all up at places like the Georges V Hotel, etc. If I was a celebrity or anyone really, and LV offered me a free vacation to Paris to attend the Games I'd take it. That solves that mystery.

Speaking of LV, owned by LVMH and Bernard Arnaut, they own both LV and Parisienne fine jewelry house Chaumet. Fir thr first time ever, a jewelry house, Chaumet, designed and made the Olympic medals, and LV created trunks to house and transport the medals to the events. When I first heard of this I thought they meant that LV was making individual cases for each medal, but I saw a short film clip and I thi knits just the trunks to transport them around to events. Honestly? It would have been awesome if they'd make a case for each medal because how does one store their medals safely? I LV case would have been nicer than these silly posters they're giving each athlete. Those could have been something in their welcome swag, IMO. I miss seeing them have a little bouquet on the stand, or a garland for their heads, as a nod to Greek times.

[annzeepark914]

2 hours ago, chessiegal said:

Women's gymnastics isn't over. Individual events will be broadcast today.

I keep forgetting about all the events. I'm a figure skating fan (which now has a team competition first, similar to gymnastics). Thanks for the reminder!

[Shrek]

4 minutes ago, surfgirl said:

Aha! Yes, I knew this but forgot, and you're right, I'd bet they've comped a lot of these US celebs and are putting them all up at places like the Georges V Hotel, etc. If I was a celebrity or anyone really, and LV offered me a free vacation to Paris to attend the Games I'd take it. That solves that mystery.

Speaking of LV, owned by LVMH and Bernard Arnaut, they own both LV and Parisienne fine jewelry house Chaumet. Fir thr first time ever, a jewelry house, Chaumet, designed and made the Olympic medals, and LV created trunks to house and transport the medals to the events. When I first heard of this I thought they meant that LV was making individual cases for each medal, but I saw a short film clip and I thi knits just the trunks to transport them around to events. Honestly? It would have been awesome if they'd make a case for each medal because how does one store their medals safely? I LV case would have been nicer than these silly posters they're giving each athlete. Those could have been something in their welcome swag, IMO. I miss seeing them have a little bouquet on the stand, or a garland for their heads, as a nod to Greek times.

Each medal has a case to be kept in for displaying & transporting, I think they're blue & they were made by LV. I remember seeing something about it on tv last week. 

Of the celebrities Flavor flav or whatever his name is has at least put his money where his mouth is by sponsoring one of the lesser known USA teams out of his own pocket.

[surfgirl]

The fact that Flava Flav can afford to sponsor a team blows my mind. I'd have thought he was a has been but he seems.to making a resurgence. Good fir him I guess. I didn't think the giant clock thing would be lasting but I was clearly wrong!

[Quof]

52 minutes ago, surfgirl said:

I miss seeing them have a little bouquet on the stand, or a garland for their heads, as a nod to Greek times

The poster instead of flowers is no doubt a response to decades of "Ew, boys don't like flowers. That's gay."

[chitowngirl]

Flowers die-they might not even be able to bring them back to their home country…the poster they can frame and display forever. Yes, they will have their medal forever, but the poster is a little easier to hang.

[atomic]

1 hour ago, surfgirl said:

It would have been awesome if they'd make a case for each medal because how does one store their medals safely?

Each medal does come in a very nice Chaumet box. The box even includes a certificate verifying that the medal is embedded with iron from the Eiffel Tower.

 

[MaryMitch]

3 hours ago, chitowngirl said:

Flowers die-they might not even be able to bring them back to their home country…the poster they can frame and display forever. Yes, they will have their medal forever, but the poster is a little easier to hang.

In the 2022 Winter Olympics, the bouquets were knitted:

https://english.cctv.com/2022/01/10/ARTIgjp3YE78GyrNra5Qfz2v220110.shtml

[surfgirl]

Did someone here say that the storage cases for the medals - the ones the athletes get to strore their medals in- were made by Lancel? I'm trying to out if it'd Lancel or Chaumet whi made the boxes.

Nevermind, I see above it's Chaumet.

Edited August 6 by surfgirl

[MaryMitch]

The medals for the 2022(!) Olympic Figure Skating team event will FINALLY be awarded  - US gold, Japan silver. Unfortunately (IMO) Russia will still get bronze instead of the more deserving Canada, but no Russian athletes will be at the ceremony.

The ceremony will be Wednesday, Aug. 7 at 11 a.m. ET on Peacock and USA Network

https://www.usfigureskating.org/news/article/2022-olympic-team-event-medal-ceremony

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/brennan/2024/08/06/us-figure-skaters-olympics-gold-medals-eiffel-tower/74686261007/

 

[Chaser]

I hope a bunch of Swimmers come out to support. 

[Daisy]

5 hours ago, MaryMitch said:

The medals for the 2022(!) Olympic Figure Skating team event will FINALLY be awarded  - US gold, Japan silver. Unfortunately (IMO) Russia will still get bronze instead of the more deserving Canada, but no Russian athletes will be at the ceremony.

The ceremony will be Wednesday, Aug. 7 at 11 a.m. ET on Peacock and USA Network

https://www.usfigureskating.org/news/article/2022-olympic-team-event-medal-ceremony

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/brennan/2024/08/06/us-figure-skaters-olympics-gold-medals-eiffel-tower/74686261007/

 

i commented on this before, but i still don't understand this. if they are being stripped of their gold medal because they cheated. why are they getting bronze? that makes NO sense to me

[Salacious Kitty]

1 hour ago, Daisy said:

i commented on this before, but i still don't understand this. if they are being stripped of their gold medal because they cheated. why are they getting bronze? that makes NO sense to me

Because they only deducted the points from the girl they caught cheating. Stupid, I know. But the points that remained were enough to put them in bronze medal position ahead of Canada.

Whoever made that decision are idiots. Canada should be receiving medals. 

[Daisy]

49 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

Because they only deducted the points from the girl they caught cheating. Stupid, I know. But the points that remained were enough to put them in bronze medal position ahead of Canada.

Whoever made that decision are idiots. Canada should be receiving medals. 

kay thank you for clearing that up... 
Okay I have to be consistent here. [damnit lol]. 

if she was the only one cheating and not the entire team - then I think that's fair that she got stripped of her medal [and her points]. and not the entire Russian team. they didn't cheat. so i don't think they should be punished.  it's only fair. 

However. in OTHER sports if ONE member of the team was caught w/a failed drug test - the entire team gets dinged [most notably track and field relay teams]. so i guess it could go any way here. 

What really makes it hard for me. [not just because i'm Canadian etc so obviously it's yay for my country]. i always like to give people/countries whatever the benefit of the doubt but it burns my biscuits tremendously  when it's countries with statewide doping and they get caught over and over again. 

it actually hit me - that Russia actually isn't in Paris. like at all. probably because of the doping violations. It makes me wonder if they'll boot out China if they keep failing drug tests too. 

[Quof]

2 hours ago, Daisy said:

Russia actually isn't in Paris. like at all. probably because of the doping violations.

because of Ukraine 

[Daisy]

5 hours ago, Quof said:

because of Ukraine 

oh  that makes sense too

[Notabug]

2 hours ago, Daisy said:

oh  that makes sense too

Let’s face it; there are a multitude of reasons why Russia shouldn’t participate in an event dedicated to sportsmanship, brotherhood, hard work and love of competition.  Last time it was doping, this time it’s invading Ukraine.

It’s also important to remember that while no other Russian figure skaters were caught doping, it doesn’t mean they are innocent.  There is widespread state-supported doping there and I suspect it’s hard for athletes at this level to refuse to do it.

Unless, of course, you believe that 15 year old Kamila got confused and accidentally took her grandfather’s heart medicine despite the fact that 1. She’s 15, not 5 and 2. She does not and has not lived with her family for years which would seem to limit her access to grandpa’s pills in the first place.

[surfgirl]

10 hours ago, Daisy said:

What really makes it hard for me. [not just because i'm Canadian etc so obviously it's yay for my country]. i always like to give people/countries whatever the benefit of the doubt but it burns my biscuits tremendously  when it's countries with statewide doping and they get caught over and over again. 

Well Russia does get caught over and over again doesn't it? And right now if I understand correctly, Russia still gets a bronze, but Canada is lodging a protest.

[Daisy]

2 minutes ago, surfgirl said:

Well Russia does get caught over and over again doesn't it? And right now if I understand correctly, Russia still gets a bronze, but Canada is lodging a protest.

they lodged it. they lost. (we always lose our protests LOL)

22 minutes ago, Notabug said:

Let’s face it; there are a multitude of reasons why Russia shouldn’t participate in an event dedicated to sportsmanship, brotherhood, hard work and love of competition.  Last time it was doping, this time it’s invading Ukraine.

It’s also important to remember that while no other Russian figure skaters were caught doping, it doesn’t mean they are innocent.  There is widespread state-supported doping there and I suspect it’s hard for athletes at this level to refuse to do it.

Unless, of course, you believe that 15 year old Kamila got confused and accidentally took her grandfather’s heart medicine despite the fact that 1. She’s 15, not 5 and 2. She does not and has not lived with her family for years which would seem to limit her access to grandpa’s pills in the first place.

yeah. it's just pants. 

[Makai]

On 8/6/2024 at 11:57 PM, Daisy said:

kay thank you for clearing that up... 
Okay I have to be consistent here. [damnit lol]. 

if she was the only one cheating and not the entire team - then I think that's fair that she got stripped of her medal [and her points]. and not the entire Russian team. they didn't cheat. so i don't think they should be punished.  it's only fair. 

Feel free to be outraged because there is good argument to be made that they weren’t fair in how they decided to handle the disqualification. To put the four events on equal footing, points were awarded based on finishing position in each event. Kamila Valieva placed first in the long and short program giving her team 20 points. They simply deducted her points from the totals leaving them one point ahead of Canada. If they had moved all the other women up a place Canada would have been in third by a point (which is what they would do if it happened in an individual competition).

Canada filled an appeal (there was no rule in place to handle this situation) but they were denied. 

Plus Kamila was only 15 when it happened, Russia was “banned” from that Olympics because of doping and officials hid her failed drug test so it’s not hard to argue the problem was systemic so the punishment should be more severe. 

It irritates me that even the arbitration board that made the decision is referring to them as Russia rather than the name they competed under (ROC). It just shows how little banning Russia meant to everyone in charge. 



*Sigh…I shouldn’t post without being absolutely certain there aren’t more posts below an ad. Oh well, I’m leaving it up because it was cathartic to write. Sorry for the repetitive bits. 

Edited August 9 by Makai

[Daisy]

On 8/7/2024 at 11:26 PM, Makai said:

They simply deducted her points from the totals leaving them one point ahead of Canada. If they had moved all the other women up a place Canada would have been in third by a point (which is what they would do if it happened in an individual competition).

Ah i see again. sorry i didn't respond to this. I saw you tag me [but edited it out] in the gymnastics discussion. but for whatever reason i never got the tag for this one. (or if i did it was buried)

honestly in this case, i think i would have just moved everyone up. I really don't get how it was rejected to be deda honest w/you. but thems the breaks. 


in happier news this is Canada's winningest Olympics with 7 Gold Medals. (23 overall, and 2 guaranteed medals coming so we've tied Tokyo) - Good Job, Canucks!

[ProudMary]

I loved this moment:

At the medal ceremony for Men's Basketball today, where the US won Gold, France won Silver and Serbia won Bronze, right after all the Silver medals had been given to the members of the French team, the hometown crowd began to sing "La Marseillaise." The crowd insured that the home team, even as Silver medal winners, would still hear their anthem.

A wonderful, only-in-the-host-nation, Olympic moment. 

 

[Daisy]

Okay - Canada is done. 

I have to say overall this was a great Olympics. This was Canada's best ever winning 9 gold, 7 Silver & 11 Bronze. Once again we've Canadian-ized our way through the medal podium as a chunk of our medals were in events we've never medalled in before [or before a lot of us were born].  A lot of our heavy medal favourites were either coming into these games with injury - or crap happened and they got out early.  but these things happen. 

Things that I really hope Canada works on in the next Olympiad. 
More swimming success. a lot of the medalists in the pool were at their last Olympic Games. [bye Maggie! Bye Kylie!] and it took a long time to be successful in the pool again. I really wish we could get stronger in Gymnastics and other Week 1 Sports. but Canada has almost historically been a Week 2 country (even in Winter).so basically the first week has always been a "let's try to get something to appease the masses" lol 

What happened to our rowing? While we got Women's Eights silver, bronze in Women's double Kayak and Gold in Women's singles. that's sooo not enough. even considering the World catching up - Canada used to be soo good at Canoe/Rowing/Kayak and I know this used to be a heavily funded event for us (the Disasters that was London/Rio might have impacted that a lot though). 

Per usual, Canada does really well in debut sports, (We win in Breaking woo lol).  getting 30 medals would have been great had some of our 4th places converted but again. not fussing about that. they did their best, so I'm happy.

I really hope this SoccerWNT issue gets dealt with. the entire thing was handled so poorly, and it washed onto the players unfairly. and the programme will suffer because of the cheating cheatersons that were the coaches. (and again. of all the teams to spy on, New Zealand? like seriously?). . 

Paris was lovely. the coverage was decent. GIVE ATTENTION TO EQUESTRIAN CBC  and it was for the most part an enjoyable 16 days. 

Now bring on the Snow!
 

[kittykat]

54 minutes ago, Daisy said:

What happened to our rowing? While we got Women's Eights silver, bronze in Women's double Kayak and Gold in Women's singles. that's sooo not enough. even considering the World catching up - Canada used to be soo good at Canoe/Rowing/Kayak and I know this used to be a heavily funded event for us (the Disasters that was London/Rio might have impacted that a lot though

I'm stoked about the bronze we got in men's eights.  Go Huskies!

Canada did have an excellent track and field. You all crushed it at Hammer Throw.

Current Gymnastics drama notwithstanding, it's been a wonderful games.  So many countries breaking through with first medals and first golds.  US wins the medal count no surprise but needed women's basketball to tie China for golds.

To all who are annoyed at random celebrity shots just a friendly reminder that LA is up in 2028, you ain't seen nothing yet.

Ok Milano-Cortina, you're up next.  Will Italy snag the medal count from Germany or Norway?  Can the US actually grab a medal in Alpine Skiing again?  Will judges be awarding Skating While Russian points and how will those wascally Wussians finagle their way into the games? Find out in a year and half.

[Daisy]

15 minutes ago, kittykat said:

Current Gymnastics drama notwithstanding, it's been a wonderful games.  So many countries breaking through with first medals and first golds.  US wins the medal count no surprise but needed women's basketball to tie China for golds.

 

that was the big thing. I never knew St Lucia never won a medal(or gold medal), until the 100m. that's always great. 

Congrats on USA being well USA lol

 

[surfgirl]

Is anyone going to try to watch thr Para Games? If so, shpjkd we just use these threads here?

[Dimity]

Olympics related -  I just read yet another story about someone being hassled in France seemingly because they are a POC.  In this case the wife of basketball played Stephen Curry.  I admit I am naive, I thought France was better than that.  Guess not.

[Shrek]

45 minutes ago, Dimity said:

Olympics related -  I just read yet another story about someone being hassled in France seemingly because they are a POC.  In this case the wife of basketball played Stephen Curry.  I admit I am naive, I thought France was better than that.  Guess not.

Not to defend the French authorities here as they can be very forceful to say the least but I read that she didn't like being held up getting out of there because of the French president leaving & started to have a tantrum at the French police because she had a baby with her. 

I'm guessing it's 6 of one version & half a dozen of the other version with neither being 100% correct. My question would be why take a baby to the closing ceremony in the first place? 

We've managed to go through the whole of the Olympics without any issues to do with race & all of a sudden Stephen Curry's wife has an issue and it's because she's a POC, I'm not buying that was the reason in this case, sorry.

[Notabug]

1 hour ago, Shrek said:

Not to defend the French authorities here as they can be very forceful to say the least but I read that she didn't like being held up getting out of there because of the French president leaving & started to have a tantrum at the French police because she had a baby with her. 

I'm guessing it's 6 of one version & half a dozen of the other version with neither being 100% correct. My question would be why take a baby to the closing ceremony in the first place? 

We've managed to go through the whole of the Olympics without any issues to do with race & all of a sudden Stephen Curry's wife has an issue and it's because she's a POC, I'm not buying that was the reason in this case, sorry.

Steph Curry's wife is well known for being very thirsty and really does expect special treatment.  Ayesha is quite 'extra' and apparently wanted the cops to stop traffic so she and her party could cross the street despite the fact that the President of France was in the motorcade.

From what I read, they (Ayesha, her MIL and 4 kids) were forced to wait 3 minutes(!) to cross the road to their transportation after the Gold Medal Game while the presidential motorcade passed.  Ayesha claimed her newborn had gotten hit in the head during the commotion.  Steph's classy mom essentially told the cops to shut up and tried to force her way through.  Multiple bystanders helped with translation and the police apologized fot the inconvenience.

If this version is basically correct, I don't seen how it was racial.  At least here in the US, NOBODY interferes with a Presidential motorcade, no matter who they are or how close they parked.

Edited August 12 by Notabug

[Makai]

1 hour ago, Dimity said:

Olympics related -  I just read yet another story about someone being hassled in France seemingly because they are a POC.  In this case the wife of basketball played Stephen Curry.  I admit I am naive, I thought France was better than that.  Guess not.

I don’t know anything about that specific situation but they are not better than that. The increase in racism in France has been in the news recently. 

[surfgirl]

Dear Fellow Olympiholics,

Gather round, for we now have a dedicated Olympic forum area! Let us rejoice and hum the Olympic theme music while we mull over upcoming games, and past Games as well. 

I call on the Forum's Olympiholics to gather now, not in four years time, and discuss:

https://forums.primetimer.com/forum/8895-olympic-games/

Edited August 13 by surfgirl

[surfgirl]

This is all of us

https://www.instagram.com/p/C-iF473A6U5/

Edited August 14 by surfgirl

[praeceptrix]

Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei dies after being set on fire by her ex.

[Crashcourse]

That is just horrific.  So sad.  I hope he gets the maximum penalty.

[surfgirl]

2 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

That is just horrific.  So sad.  I hope he gets the maximum penalty.

I just heard about this on NPR and it made me so angry. I also hope he gets the maximum penalty and mu h muxh worse. And I hope there is support for her daughters. 🙏 

ETA: The BBC radio interview on this was with the Sports Minister for Uganda IIRC, and he qas babbling on and on with a bunch of word salad bullshit and all I wanted to do was scream at him YEAH BUT IS THIS MOTHERFUCKER BEHIND BARS YET?!? 'We are working diplomatic channels, she called me and told me she had domestic problems and I was going to speak with the family but I didnt...

Edited September 5 by surfgirl

[praeceptrix]

Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo has announced that they will name a sports venue after murdered marathoner Rebecca Cheptegei.

[surfgirl]

Well this is disappointing AF! I did not see the Closing Ceremonies on NBC today or network TV so I assumed I'd catch it in its entirety on Peacock but all they have right now are a few minute clips. Totally lame. Hopefully the entire thing will be up.tomorrow. Did anyone here watch and if yes how was it? I'm assuming the LA 28 portion was as cringey as the Olympics version.

Edited September 9 by surfgirl

[Dr.OO7]

On 9/5/2024 at 1:52 PM, praeceptrix said:

Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei dies after being set on fire by her ex.

I knew it would happen when I heard how badly she was burned, but it still crushed me to hear.

[Dr.OO7]

Some poetic justice for Rebecca Cheptegei:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/ex-partner-killed-ugandan-athlete-065054915.html

[surfgirl]

6 hours ago, Dr.OO7 said:

Some poetic justice for Rebecca Cheptegei:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/ex-partner-killed-ugandan-athlete-065054915.html

Her father is right, he died because he killed her. And he deserved to die IMO. However the other lady is also correct, he deserved to live out life in a shitty, dirty prison knowing what he's done.

I did find it a beautiful gesture that the Paris mayor is committed to naming a sports venue after her so her name lives on in Paris as a legacy of the 2024 Games.

https://www.reuters.com/sports/olympics/paris-name-sports-venue-after-dead-ugandan-olympian-cheptegei-2024-09-06/

[surfgirl]

Well, did y'all follow the party Paris had this weekend to celebrate their successful hosting of Paris 2024? The photos looks fabulous. Apparently there was a big parade yesterday to honor the volunteers l, athletes, local community, etc. Paris really set the bar incredibly high! 

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/14/world/europe/paris-olympics-parade.html

https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-awards-olympic-cup-to-the-people-of-france-at-spectacular-ceremony-on-the-champs-elysees