Another reason for Olympic Wushu....

[GeneChing]

Check this out - http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/09/27/1032734327752.html

And this (if you haven't already...)
http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=246

[Chang Style Novice]

I don't see how wushu being an olympic event is going to keep people from spitting in the street (gross) or rolling up their t-shirts when it's hot (eminently reasonable.)

[rubthebuddha]

well, each transgression will come with a penalty:

if you spit, you ahve to pick it up and put it back where it came from,

and if you roll your shirt up, government officials will come pin you down and the senior officer will give you a "red belly."

[neptunesfall]

i think it would be neat to see wushu in the olympics....but i don't see what it has to do with citizens of beijing being brainwashed into uber-canadians.:D

[GLW]

While it would be great for everyone if Wushu were to make it to the Olympics, it will be very difficult. Especially now since the recomendation committee did a thumbs down on it. China will have to pull some major favors, promises, and political capital to get it over.

Frankly, I don't see them willing to do this. (now I could be wrong.... :) and hope so).

The biggest problems - well, China and the IWuF have not really done their homework.

There is an international presence for Wushu but it is small, weak in the scheme of things, and in light of the problems the IOC has had with ethics lately, the ethics involved in the various countries with IWuF members in picking teams, and adhering to rules and such would be enough to make any IOC committee that looked into shy away fast.

Next is the choice of events... Limiting things to ONLY the compulsories would be like limiting ice skating to only the technical portions of competitions. What brings in people is seeing the various routines and the individual flavors people put into their routines... The IWuF's proposed rules don't allow for this...and in fact, yield a very boring event...I KNOW having sat through judging of such events...It is only interesting if you are really technically savy...and how many will be...

Then there is the problem that the only way to be certified to judge is to go to China and pay for it. to get to do that, you have to first be nominated by your country's IWuF organization. Politics rears its head ...and money.

Then what happens when you only have ONE governing organization overseeing and certifying judges for the world...and the organization is the one trying to get Wushu in...and the one that stands to gain the most medals form such an Olympci event.

All in all, the IWuF has done a poor job of making things open to an Olympic level.

[Brad]

Man, they really blew it.

[Chang Style Novice]

I think blathering incessantly on internet bulletin boards should be made an olympic sport. I've always wanted a gold medal!

[rogue]

And the number one reason for Olympic Wushu....

To give the Olympic TKD guys someone to laugh at!:D

[David Jamieson]

It's funny how a government will fixate on such ridiculous things to avoid dealing with any real issues. And I'm not China bashing.

Seriously, pick a country, any country and you will have men running it who daily commit profoundly stupid acts against other groups of men commiting equally profoundly stupid acts or even against the people who put them in office be it the so called democracy or the commitee structure of communism.

Will wu shu be in the olympics? I certainly hope so. I'm embarrassed that curling made it in. Putting an actual athletic sport into the mix would be great. God, I hope they don't put billiards in there, because it will only be a matter of time after that when pie eating and cigarette smoking will become olympic sports. Bad enough that pie eating and smoking are competitive events in my home town :D

peace

[guohuen]

Hey, syncronized swimming is an olympic sport. Need I say more. Anyone else think Juan Alvarez is a thug?

[Lisa]

"I'm embarrassed that curling made it in."

Me too. If you can be dangerously obese and still compete at world class, it's not a real sport.

[GeneChing]

It has been postualted that the entire nation of China suffers from a mild strain of pnuemonia. For those of us who have spent any time there, we all know about the "China hack." Some beleive that if everyone could stop spitting for three months, it would clear up. All I know is it is very unsettling when you waitress hocks a loogy while serving your food.

And Lisa - Sumo rocks. Curling, well, I never tried that.

[Leonidas]

Someone should lobby to make breakdancin' an official sport. How sweet would that be :D Tis not so much different from Rythmic Gymnastics but cooler and the music is danceable.

[norther practitioner]

Yeah, there are actually wushu/breakdance events.... breakdancing has taken a lot from gymnastics, flares and the like... we always thought it would be cool to see someone do a few breaking moves during a floor routine.... oh, and if anyone in colorado wants to see a really good breaking battle, this thursday at du.... there is a huge battle...

abc

[David Jamieson]

I think all the hacking and coughing and spitting goin on in China has more to do with coal burning plants and the pollution that rivals cairo!

No wonder people are hacking away.

I remember an article and set of cartoons that Bill Lee of Playboy did about a trip to china back in the late seventies. As far as coal burning plant go, I don't think that has changed much. It is fairly polluted and bad air quality in the major cities, even though the streets are clean.

peace

[@PLUGO]

I remember a book written by Doug (hitchhiker's gude..) Adams where a stop over in China resuls in a couple of pages discribing buckets in the sidewalk specificly for hacking & spitting...

[GeneChing]

...but that was sci fi. Spittoons exist in China, but few people bother.

GLW - All is not lost yet. China plays a good face game, and now they're playing on an international level, so this is a test of sorts.

Now a lot depends on how things go in Busan. Does anyone know anyone going to Busan? One of the Tiger Claw Foundation Board members went, our CEO no less, but I havent' heard word back. I think he'll be coming back before the Wushu event goes anyway. It's scheduled for next week.

Remember Korea's TKD entrance to the Olympics was disasterous, yet they still made it. Never give up the fight.

Besides if Karate makes it before Wushu, well, shut our mouths...:mad:

[Leonidas]

:D You might get beat out by bowling. They were attempting to get Olympic status too and its more popular by far. Prolly only sport where you can eat a full course meal after every turn. The best bowlers i know are completely outta shape :o . That'll be the ultimate embarassment for the summer games.

[Brad]

This was just posted on Raffi's message board:

http://www.cs-online.com.cn/enews/wushu/news/21595.shtm



All Asia supports wushu's entry into Olympics: OCA President
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BUSAN, Sept. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), Asia's supreme sports governing body, and all its members will support wushu, the Chinese martial arts also known as Kung Fu, to become an official event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah said here on Friday.

"I think all Asia will go together to support wushu to be a part of the Olympic Games," said Al-Sabah, who flew in here on Thursday for the 14th Asian Games to be launched on Sunday.

Since late 1998, the International Wushu Federation (IWUF) has been trying strenuously to make this increasingly popular sport an Olympic event, and countries with large wushu loving populations like China and Japan have hoped this goal could be attained at the 2008 Olympic Games to be hosted in Beijing.

This effort has now entered a crucial stage as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is expected to make a final decision on the fate of wushu and several other sports seeking Olympic entry at a plenary meeting in Mexico City in about two months.

"Wushu is one of our Asian sports and we have to support it to also become one of the Olympic sports. As Asians we should work together with full solidarity," said Al-Sabah, citing the success of Judo and Taekwondo, the Japanese and Korean versions of martial arts, after their entry in the previous Olympic Games.

The Asian sports chief believed that the Beijing Olympics would turn out to be the best occasion for the Olympic debut of wushu, which has been a medal event in four consecutive Asian Games since 1990.

"China originated the culture of wushu. In Beijing we will have lots of spectators and will see the best art of the sport, this will give success to the sport," he elaborated.

He said that the OCA would write to the IOC President Jacques Rogge about this issue and would also write to "all IOC friends" to ask them to support wushu's Olympic bid.

"IOC members from the OCA will also give help," he added.

The IWUF has 77 member associations which represent tens of millions of wushu practitioners across the world. So far 24 IWUF members have decided to send competitors to Busan to vie for the 11 golds on offer. It is said that Afghanistan, a long-time Asiad absentee due to civil wars and the Taliban rule, has also sought a place in the wushu

[GeneChing]

Great post Brad! Give Raffi's forum my regards!

Speaking of air quality, spitting and hacking, check this out - http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/09/020927065232.htm