Paintball in the Olympics!!
- Thread starter Rapture-Bliss
- Start date
If the yanks can't get baseball into the olympics what chance paintball ?
You would need the backing from america to even stand a chance and that's after it's been recognised as a 'sport' in every other country, which is a long, long way off.
Good luck 'cause your gonna need it. Now i'm off to get Jelly wrestling into the olympics as i think the wrestlers 'DESERVE' the recognition
errrm but baseball IS an olympic sport
http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/programme/index_uk.asp?SportCode=BB
Yet only since 1992 and you will never see coverage of it on the tv. Plus there is also alot of complaints about it after greece being unable to use it's baseball stadium at all after the olympics due to a simple lack of demand.
Yet rapture though like robbo said it's a nice thought but it will unfortunately do nothing no matter how many people write or sign your petition as that isn't how the olympics work.
First a sport needs to be recognised by the olympic commitee by meeting the olympic charter (things like a uniform set or rules, played in so many countries, same format, safe etc) and only then will the olympic commitee consider making it a sport if there is enough demand (so a petition would work at this stage) and there are no logistical problems and there is a majority vote in favour of it.
So basically you are directing your energies the wrong way the people this petitrion should be directed at are the paintball companys, bodiesand tournaments to try and get a uniform format but that probably aint gonna happen.
"First a sport needs to be recognised by the olympic commitee by meeting the olympic charter.."
Paintball meets most requirements there, it is officially played in 110 countries last i knew? Has a player base of around the 15 million mark world wide (certainly more than handball). So it comes back to the statement about rules. As much as I respect Robbo, and dont claim for a second to know paintball as well as he (*nod of respect to Robbo*) I dont believe a unified rule set is a requirement. My logic behind this is the sports currently in the olympics. Many of which didnt use a unified rule set, they adapted one for the purpose based on the current rules of various major establishments in the specific sports. The unification of rules then came for these sports afterwards.
But the statement I do agree with more than anything, expecially after starting this:
"We are way too disjointed and disorganized for anybody to take us seriously."
That can certainly be identified as a major problem for paintball; I do truely believe paintball in the olympics isn't too much of a stretch of the imagination, but as Robbo said its the disorganisation that really causes the issue. I dont think we'd need a World Paintball Association before being accepted into the olympics, but we'd deffinately need more stability and commitment within the industy and community.
I think what may be in our favour more than anything (or unfortunatly could be our ultimate failing ) is the fact that paintball, although standing for everything the olympics intends, it would be, by far, the most "gear intensive" sport in it. That may mean that the IOC would be more open to considering it in a different manor; simply for the sake of having the oppotunity to appeal to a wider audience and increase the variety of the olympics.
(Sign it anyway, it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside )
Paintball meets most requirements there, it is officially played in 110 countries last i knew? Has a player base of around the 15 million mark world wide (certainly more than handball). So it comes back to the statement about rules. As much as I respect Robbo, and dont claim for a second to know paintball as well as he (*nod of respect to Robbo*
) I dont believe a unified rule set is a requirement. My logic behind this is the sports currently in the olympics. Many of which didnt use a unified rule set, they adapted one for the purpose based on the current rules of various major establishments in the specific sports. The unification of rules then came for these sports afterwards.But the statement I do agree with more than anything, expecially after starting this:
"We are way too disjointed and disorganized for anybody to take us seriously."
That can certainly be identified as a major problem for paintball; I do truely believe paintball in the olympics isn't too much of a stretch of the imagination, but as Robbo said its the disorganisation that really causes the issue. I dont think we'd need a World Paintball Association before being accepted into the olympics, but we'd deffinately need more stability and commitment within the industy and community.
I think what may be in our favour more than anything (or unfortunatly could be our ultimate failing
) is the fact that paintball, although standing for everything the olympics intends, it would be, by far, the most "gear intensive" sport in it. That may mean that the IOC would be more open to considering it in a different manor; simply for the sake of having the oppotunity to appeal to a wider audience and increase the variety of the olympics.(Sign it anyway, it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside
)
"First a sport needs to be recognised by the olympic commitee by meeting the olympic charter.."
Paintball meets most requirements there, it is officially played in 110 countries last i knew? Has a player base of around the 15 million mark world wide (certainly more than handball). So it comes back to the statement about rules. As much as I respect Robbo, and dont claim for a second to know paintball as well as he (*nod of respect to Robbo*
But the statement I do agree with more than anything, expecially after starting this:
"We are way too disjointed and disorganized for anybody to take us seriously."
That can certainly be identified as a major problem for paintball; I do truely believe paintball in the olympics isn't too much of a stretch of the imagination, but as Robbo said its the disorganisation that really causes the issue. I dont think we'd need a World Paintball Association before being accepted into the olympics, but we'd deffinately need more stability and commitment within the industy and community.
I think what may be in our favour more than anything (or unfortunatly could be our ultimate failing
(Sign it anyway, it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside
you've just gone and believed what it says on the millenium one4one trailer as come on you can tell that 15 million players is abit of an exaggeration. We may6 have that many punters but certainly not that many tournament players. But first lets go through the requirments of the olympic charter (I'm not trying to be too negative but you need to know before spending all this work on it).
Ok for a sport to be considered an olympic sport (but not an event eg golf chess.)
1.1 has to be practised by 75 countries on four continents for men and 40 countries over 3 continents for women.
now you might claim that paintball does meet this but since we don't have a worldwide federation to take accurate numbers we don't meet this requirement.
1.3 (1.2 is for the winter games) must comply with the world anti-doping code.
nope
1.4 must be submitted 7 years in advance
so you've missed 2012 but you could make the next one so no problem here
now for it to be considered an event (which I think you are aiming for but this can also include exhibition competitions that award medals but aren't offically counted in international standings)
3.2 must have a recgnised international standing both geographically and numerically and has to have held 2 world or continental championships.
now it meets the championship requirement but it hardly has a recognised international standing.
3.3 same number countries etc
3.4 admitted 3 years before
so can still make it for 2012 as an exhibtion event which would be more realistic.
5 (and this is the most important one) The if (international federation) governing the sport must confirm their sports attendance at or before the meeting where the host city is chosen.
Right we don't have a international federation of paintballers (or if we do in name only) and this is where our problem stems as until we have a recognised body that we can all agree and join there will be no one to represent us in the world sports forum or anywhere else to lobby governments to recognise paintball as a sport, or to get into the olympics.
This is where your efforts need to be aimed as a petition simply wont work no matter how many of us there are.
heres the link to the olympic charter if anyone else is intrested.http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_122.pdf
Firstly abit of self defense (the only chance Im gonna get after that info )
Statistically I wasnt basing it off any videos. In the latest copy of PGI theres a statistics sheet from the SGMA figures of 2005 involving US participants. That put paintball at around 10,357,000. So i took that figure and abit of logical deduction; with the rough amount of players in Europe, 15 million isn't going to be too far shy. Albeit its impossible to know what the tournament / punter ratio is at this time, thats true. (but not one4one fuelled)
But you bring up an incredibly important point with charter rule 4.2. My main challenge for this is the wording of the rule itself (guessed im not a quitter yet?) It says "Mechanical Propulsion" which is open to interpritation. Propulsion would suggest travel and movement of the olympian, not neccessarily their equipment. Think, how would shooting be allowed? Its at its basis mechanical propulsion. So I THINK its possible to side step this.
As for the anti-doping code, I think it would be a small sacrifice to get ballers to put their reefers to one side for a month; a code could be set up fairly hastely in the paintball scene.
Now its just a case of reading every other charter rule...
)Statistically I wasnt basing it off any videos. In the latest copy of PGI theres a statistics sheet from the SGMA figures of 2005 involving US participants. That put paintball at around 10,357,000. So i took that figure and abit of logical deduction; with the rough amount of players in Europe, 15 million isn't going to be too far shy. Albeit its impossible to know what the tournament / punter ratio is at this time, thats true. (but not one4one fuelled
)But you bring up an incredibly important point with charter rule 4.2. My main challenge for this is the wording of the rule itself (guessed im not a quitter yet?
) It says "Mechanical Propulsion" which is open to interpritation. Propulsion would suggest travel and movement of the olympian, not neccessarily their equipment. Think, how would shooting be allowed? Its at its basis mechanical propulsion. So I THINK its possible to side step this. As for the anti-doping code, I think it would be a small sacrifice to get ballers to put their reefers to one side for a month; a code could be set up fairly hastely in the paintball scene.
Now its just a case of reading every other charter rule...
What about the X-games? is paintball part of them? as its considered an extreme sport they may be more open to the suggestion
ok first yes I'm sorry for the reference to 4.2 as after posting I remembered shooting and felt like an ass but you were too quick spotting it but anyway again sorry.
Yet still the rest of my points are still valid and though I'm sorry if you did base your figures from relevant sources (just seemed like a bit of a coincidence thats all) but I believe the SGMA requirements for participating in a sport is only something like 5 times a year so probably the punter/tournament ratio will be quite high. But again a valid interptation of the figures (just post your sources next time).
Yet I think you are optimistic on complying to the doping rule as it isn't something that you can just organize quickly and improvise as you go along you need proper licensed testers with medical training and such which would result in much greater cost for tournament which I don't think the paintballing community would stand (not me personally as I think it would be worth the cost). Also considering the sheer amount of cheating in paintball with wiping, bonus balling, playing on, cheating guns I wouldn't be suprised if when the stakes get higher players start turning to other means to win. A pessimistic view but valid all the same.
Yet all the basically comes down to again and again is organization if we had an organized body we would be able to put in place a doping policy, we would be able to put in uniform rules and we would be able to better represent our sport and maybe one day get in the olympics but that day is not today and missing out the middle man (an International federation) and going straight to the source (IOC) will do nothing but get us disregarded as a bunch of unorganized idiots. It is an admirable effort and kudos for trying it but your effort is simply misguided and would be so much bettter aimed at the paintball organization that currently exist in trying to get them to uninise and would also get us alot closer to achieving your and proably most paintballers dreams.
Yet still the rest of my points are still valid and though I'm sorry if you did base your figures from relevant sources (just seemed like a bit of a coincidence thats all) but I believe the SGMA requirements for participating in a sport is only something like 5 times a year so probably the punter/tournament ratio will be quite high. But again a valid interptation of the figures (just post your sources next time).
Yet I think you are optimistic on complying to the doping rule as it isn't something that you can just organize quickly and improvise as you go along you need proper licensed testers with medical training and such which would result in much greater cost for tournament which I don't think the paintballing community would stand (not me personally as I think it would be worth the cost). Also considering the sheer amount of cheating in paintball with wiping, bonus balling, playing on, cheating guns I wouldn't be suprised if when the stakes get higher players start turning to other means to win. A pessimistic view but valid all the same.
Yet all the basically comes down to again and again is organization if we had an organized body we would be able to put in place a doping policy, we would be able to put in uniform rules and we would be able to better represent our sport and maybe one day get in the olympics but that day is not today and missing out the middle man (an International federation) and going straight to the source (IOC) will do nothing but get us disregarded as a bunch of unorganized idiots. It is an admirable effort and kudos for trying it but your effort is simply misguided and would be so much bettter aimed at the paintball organization that currently exist in trying to get them to uninise and would also get us alot closer to achieving your and proably most paintballers dreams.
Well I'll work on it next lol! I just want the best we can possible make from paintball. I think the tournament scene as it stands is an incredible demenstration of competition, and I dont think anyone doubts it deserves more recognition.
Firstly, don't feel "like an ass" for making a comment, you put the time in the research something before just saying "this wont work you stupid newb". I appreciate someone making an effort to be informative in criticism much more that someone trying to be an e-thug.
Alot of the problems would be solved with a unified governing body, I deffinately agree with that, but that presumes companies will get off their money craving asses and make it happen; which we all know, is a false presumption.
I assure you I try to make my sources as accurate as possible (no complaints at one4one, you have good coverage!!) but as we both know, and anyone else reading this; accurate figures on participation are hard enough with a sport such as Football (Soccer for our friends across the sea) So sports participation statistics will always be an estimate unfortunately. I just tried to make it as accurate an estimate as I could (Thanks PGI!).
I dont think cheating is really going to be an issue. Cheating is present in some form or another in every sport yet they are still practiced and competed on a world stage. It comes down to the quality of the enforcers of that sport, in our case Marshalls/Judges/Refs (pick your term..) and I have no doubt that the level of enforcement in the olympic games would be the best Paintball has ever seen.
As I've already said theres more to be acheived in just raised awareness; Paintball should get to the point of having a dedicated chanel on TV in most main countries. And you should be able to talk to any sociable person about tournament paintball without the cries of "Oh, why you play with bouncy castles?!" Aiming so high as the olympics was always intended to worm out as many issues in the industry as I could, things that could possibly be influenced, even fixed, by the paintball community; so we're not standing around waiting for a company that will only do it when it is "in their best financial interest".
Last but not least, to North Irish. As far as I know, but don't quote me on this, I believe the X Games are all individual events, and thus Paintball doesnt fit directly into its roster. BUT it has ESPN backing (which we all know have shown their interest in Paintball) and is angled at "extreme" sports which Paintball can be considered as. So I wont discount it, maybe something I will personally look into at a later date.
Firstly, don't feel "like an ass" for making a comment, you put the time in the research something before just saying "this wont work you stupid newb". I appreciate someone making an effort to be informative in criticism much more that someone trying to be an e-thug.
Alot of the problems would be solved with a unified governing body, I deffinately agree with that, but that presumes companies will get off their money craving asses and make it happen; which we all know, is a false presumption.
I assure you I try to make my sources as accurate as possible (no complaints at one4one, you have good coverage!!) but as we both know, and anyone else reading this; accurate figures on participation are hard enough with a sport such as Football (Soccer for our friends across the sea
) So sports participation statistics will always be an estimate unfortunately. I just tried to make it as accurate an estimate as I could (Thanks PGI!). I dont think cheating is really going to be an issue. Cheating is present in some form or another in every sport yet they are still practiced and competed on a world stage. It comes down to the quality of the enforcers of that sport, in our case Marshalls/Judges/Refs (pick your term..) and I have no doubt that the level of enforcement in the olympic games would be the best Paintball has ever seen.
As I've already said theres more to be acheived in just raised awareness; Paintball should get to the point of having a dedicated chanel on TV in most main countries. And you should be able to talk to any sociable person about tournament paintball without the cries of "Oh, why you play with bouncy castles?!" Aiming so high as the olympics was always intended to worm out as many issues in the industry as I could, things that could possibly be influenced, even fixed, by the paintball community; so we're not standing around waiting for a company that will only do it when it is "in their best financial interest".
Last but not least, to North Irish. As far as I know, but don't quote me on this, I believe the X Games are all individual events, and thus Paintball doesnt fit directly into its roster. BUT it has ESPN backing (which we all know have shown their interest in Paintball) and is angled at "extreme" sports which Paintball can be considered as. So I wont discount it, maybe something I will personally look into at a later date.
Crawl---Walk---Run---Olympics
Paintball is just about walking at the moment, from what I can infer from comments made by those in "The Know", (mainly Robbo and Baca, not that they are the only two).
Robbo's recent statements regarding UK Tourny ball, suggests that if something is not done soon, we could well be back to the crawling stage quite rapidly or worse case scenario, become Inutero!
So...as suggested by the aforementioned muscular one, use your energies to help, in whatever way you can to get the UK scene back on track...we need people with your obvious fire for what Tourny ballers do.
Somebody suggested talking to the X-Games people.
This sounds like a much better idea than the Olympics, as at least we are "more their cup of tea".
It might be worth speaking to Warren Maxwell (Tiger Jedi) as he has links with the Extreme Energy drinks people and I am sure could help point you in the right direction.
I feel sure that everyone on this forum, will back you, but only if it's a feasible venture. It's just a business plan at the end of the day.
Paintball is just about walking at the moment, from what I can infer from comments made by those in "The Know", (mainly Robbo and Baca, not that they are the only two).
Robbo's recent statements regarding UK Tourny ball, suggests that if something is not done soon, we could well be back to the crawling stage quite rapidly or worse case scenario, become Inutero!
So...as suggested by the aforementioned muscular one, use your energies to help, in whatever way you can to get the UK scene back on track...we need people with your obvious fire for what Tourny ballers do.
Somebody suggested talking to the X-Games people.
This sounds like a much better idea than the Olympics, as at least we are "more their cup of tea".
It might be worth speaking to Warren Maxwell (Tiger Jedi) as he has links with the Extreme Energy drinks people and I am sure could help point you in the right direction.
I feel sure that everyone on this forum, will back you, but only if it's a feasible venture. It's just a business plan at the end of the day.