Tokyo Olympics 2020 (21)

[SasaS]

2 hours ago, TheHowieLama said:

Now saying she is not injured - mental health concern.

What does it even mean? I can see she is being congratulated now for quitting. Wasn't the whole point of these high level competitions to see who can handle the pressure and then you get to be the champion if you can? I don't really understand this world any more. 

[Brownie]

19 minutes ago, SasaS said:

What does it even mean? I can see she is being congratulated now for quitting. Wasn't the whole point of these high level competitions to see who can handle the pressure and then you get to be the champion if you can? I don't really understand this world any more. 

It means she was mentally not right and therefore wouldn’t have been helping her team by carrying on (she’d already fucked up).

 

Good on her for being honest about it and putting the interest of her team first, I say.

 

It’s fucking brave to turn around and admit that your head’s not right.

[Jose Jones]

58 minutes ago, SasaS said:

What does it even mean? I can see she is being congratulated now for quitting. Wasn't the whole point of these high level competitions to see who can handle the pressure and then you get to be the champion if you can? I don't really understand this world any more. 

Well it's not like she won the gold medal is it?  So the point of the competition is still the same.

The world these days is maybe just a little bit more understanding than in the old days where the media would have just labelled her a quitter and disgrace to the country, etc. etc.  Obvious dicks like Piers Morgan excepted of course.

[3 Stacks]

The pertinent question with Biles is what do her teammates think and if they feel let down. Otherwise, who cares if she quit. It's her life.

[Bobby Hundreds]

8 hours ago, Strontium Dog™ said:

Equestrian events were part of the ancient Olympic games, so they arguably* have more of a right to be part of the Olympics than stuff like table tennis and swimming.

 

Incidentally, even back then they were the most egalitarian of events - it was the only thing women were allowed to compete in.

 

 

*not really arguable

Nah times change, look at how obedient and trained my animal is just doesn't feel like a sporting event, unless they give the horse a gold. I watched it and thought they should allow absolutely anything competitive in the Olympics if this shite is in. Snail racing, Gibbon face slapping, snooker.

[Red Phoenix]

For fellow gaming nerds : Olympic athlete wins gold medal while wearing a Witcher medallion

[Champ]

8 hours ago, 3 Stacks said:

The pertinent question with Biles is what do her teammates think and if they feel let down. Otherwise, who cares if she quit. It's her life.

No reasonable person would want someone else to put their physical or mental health at risk on their behalf 

[Bjornebye]

GB looking like losing the bronze match against Argentina here in the rugby 7's 

 

EDIT: Good try, chance to level 

[Bjornebye]

Fucked it. I do love watching the Argentinians play rugby. 

[Rico1304]

People giving Biles grief is beyond me.  She didn’t feel like she good perform at her top level, she’d already made a mistake, so she stepped aside.  Another mistake on the incredibly complex routines she performs could have seriously injured her.  Loads of shite blokes who were picked last at school giving her grief.  

[Remmie]

The rugby sevens is ace. Come on Fiji

[Remmie]

Fiji were a class apart, delighted they won

 

And the Argentina top is boss, I've bought it from China so will probably arrive in 3 months and be the wrong size

 

 

[SasaS]

10 hours ago, Brownie said:

It means she was mentally not right and therefore wouldn’t have been helping her team by carrying on (she’d already fucked up).

 

Good on her for being honest about it and putting the interest of her team first, I say.

 

It’s fucking brave to turn around and admit that your head’s not right.

 

9 hours ago, Jose Jones said:

Well it's not like she won the gold medal is it?  So the point of the competition is still the same.

The world these days is maybe just a little bit more understanding than in the old days where the media would have just labelled her a quitter and disgrace to the country, etc. etc.  Obvious dicks like Piers Morgan excepted of course.

 

9 hours ago, 3 Stacks said:

The pertinent question with Biles is what do her teammates think and if they feel let down. Otherwise, who cares if she quit. It's her life.

What is new here is that she is being congratulated for pulling out in the middle of the tournament, to which it seems she came unprepared, taking the place of some other athlete(s) and effectively fucking over her team. She then said sorry, but my mental health comes first and everybody stood up and applauded. That part is new, her health is obviously her private thing but if she said she was injured and going home or didn't come in the first place the reaction would be, oh, too bad, hope you get over your injury soon.

Almost as if competing at the Olympics is some cruel obligation the society placed on her and she is brave enough to reject it and prioritize her health. She is a seasoned champion who is at this moment not quite at that level, or her time has passed (don't really follow gymnastics) and she is quitting the tournament. But as soon as the magic words are uttered everybody immediately retreats and she becomes a hero. 

[Pidge]

As a 30 time medallist at world and Olympic level, I'd assume there was a fair amount of pressure on her to compete even if she didn't feel right.

[Bjornebye]

2 minutes ago, SasaS said:

 

 

What is new here is that she is being congratulated for pulling out in the middle of the tournament, to which it seems she came unprepared, taking the place of some other athlete(s) and effectively fucking over her team. She then said sorry, but my mental health comes first and everybody stood up and applauded. That part is new, her health is obviously her private thing but if she said she was injured and going home or didn't come in the first place the reaction would be, oh, too bad, hope you get over your injury soon.

Almost as if competing at the Olympics is some cruel obligation the society placed on her and she is brave enough to reject it and prioritize her health. She is a seasoned champion who is at this moment not quite at that level, or her time has passed (don't really follow gymnastics) and she is quitting the tournament. But as soon as the magic words are uttered everybody immediately retreats and she becomes a hero. 

Hi Piers. She is a 24 year old girl who is already widely touted as one of the greats and comes into the olympics under massive pressure. Add to that the last 18 months of covid and the restrictions / rules in place in the athletes village it's not beyond the realms of belief that a young girl might all of a sudden find the pressure too much to bear and decide that the best thing to do for her own health and the chances of her team is to withdraw. 

 

You bad nob. 

[TheHowieLama]

Wonder what Jordan Chiles mental state is now after she had to pick up the baggage, under immense pressure, and then performed terribly.

[Juniper]

24 minutes ago, Pidge said:

As a 30 time medallist at world and Olympic level, I'd assume there was a fair amount of pressure on her to compete even if she didn't feel right.

Exactly, spot on Pidge. 

 

All the analysis on ‘what went wrong’ just proves the amount of focus and pressure on her.

 

All the criticisms from random people with no interest in gymnastics or have no experience at her level or those events and the pressures that come with it is baffling. 
 

Also, it cannot be easy living in more of a goldfish bowl this year, cut off from family and friends with major limits thanks to Covid as to what the athletes can/cannot do at the Olympic village/in Tokyo in between sessions to get some downtime and reduce some of the pressure on them.  
 

I’ve read a few books from our track cyclists and it’s clear that away from the events is somewhat of a punishing time, mentally, for people to deal with and time away is needed.
 

With Covid added to that surely they’ll be some struggles which make the pressure even more intense, especially for someone not yet in their mid 20’s.

 

For all those people throwing critique just remember you don’t know what goes on behind the scenes and shut the fuck up. 
 

[Moo]

Biles pulled out after the first apparatus having not only messed up, but possibly having given herself a real fright.  On last nights highlights they reckoned she may have lost her bearings while in the air as the move she had intended to perform (and the one handed to the judges on which to score her) was not the one she actually performed.  That is a scary thought.  So while she was mentally not in the right place I expect she was also thinking about the physical damage she could have done if she'd carried on.  Gymnastics is a really difficult and dangerous sport, if you have any doubt in your mind about your ability to perform and you go into it with a lack of confidence all sorts can go wrong, it doesn't bear thinking about.  She did the right thing for her mental and physical health.

[SasaS]

30 minutes ago, Bjornebye said:

Hi Piers. She is a 24 year old girl who is already widely touted as one of the greats and comes into the olympics under massive pressure. Add to that the last 18 months of covid and the restrictions / rules in place in the athletes village it's not beyond the realms of belief that a young girl might all of a sudden find the pressure too much to bear and decide that the best thing to do for her own health and the chances of her team is to withdraw. 

 

You bad nob. 

You are aware I am not discussing her, but media / public reactions to what she did? She is neither the first nor last big champion suddenly finding it hard and quitting.

[Brownie]

47 minutes ago, SasaS said:

 

 

What is new here is that she is being congratulated for pulling out in the middle of the tournament, to which it seems she came unprepared, taking the place of some other athlete(s) and effectively fucking over her team. She then said sorry, but my mental health comes first and everybody stood up and applauded. That part is new, her health is obviously her private thing but if she said she was injured and going home or didn't come in the first place the reaction would be, oh, too bad, hope you get over your injury soon.

Almost as if competing at the Olympics is some cruel obligation the society placed on her and she is brave enough to reject it and prioritize her health. She is a seasoned champion who is at this moment not quite at that level, or her time has passed (don't really follow gymnastics) and she is quitting the tournament. But as soon as the magic words are uttered everybody immediately retreats and she becomes a hero. 

Seriously mate, just fuck off.

[Brownie]

Greg Rutherford was just speaking about this on Eurosport. He had something similar in 2008 and struggled badly. He just said that his footwear manufacturer came over to him after the final and said “just make sure that never happens again”.

 

Absolute state of that!
 

Assume SasaS works for Nike then.

[TheHowieLama]

End of the day not many fans are really emotionally invested in women's gymnastics or women's Olympic tennis for that matter. It is unfortunate as surely there are some - but it would be interesting to see how, say, Tom Brady throwing an interception in the first quarter of a Super Bowl or Virgil getting nutmegged for an early gola in a CL final and then pulling out would be received.

[Bjornebye]

19 minutes ago, SasaS said:

You are aware I am not discussing her, but media / public reactions to what she did? She is neither the first nor last big champion suddenly finding it hard and quitting.

We are going through an era of change when it comes to mental health and people being encouraged to speak out. For anyone who has suffered with mental health the hardest and most helpful part is holding your hands up and saying you're not in the right pace. Too right she should be applauded with her profile for holding her hands up and saying she is worried about it. What would you prefer? The Piers Morgan approach? 

[Juniper]

10 minutes ago, TheHowieLama said:

End of the day not many fans are really emotionally invested in women's gymnastics or women's Olympic tennis for that matter. It is unfortunate as surely there are some - but it would be interesting to see how, say, Tom Brady throwing an interception in the first quarter of a Super Bowl or Virgil getting nutmegged for an early gola in a CL final and then pulling out would be received.

 

If Tom Brady did that given the amount he’s also won and proved himself you'd think something indeed wasn’t right and probably the best decision for him too.  
 

You don’t get to win as many medals as her without facing many adversities starting from a ridiculously young age and on the worlds stage many times, so something obviously isn’t quite right rather than it being given as an excuse. 

[Brownie]

For me, what they have achieved previously doesn’t even come into it. If it’s someone who has never won before then i’d treat them in the same way as a champion. If someone is struggling, they need support.