Should diversity be a factor in Olympic team selection?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes or no? Why or why not?

Yes, and then let black athletes start five seconds earlier across all competitions, as a form of affirmative action.

Fair is fair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not in selection, but training and support could be increased to support diversity in the pipeline. It takes a lot of money to buy the equipment, train full time, etc. More support of diverse athletes while training could create a more diverse team in the end.

This, this, this.

I believe you.

But what would be done to make it different? Training/support/etc. No one just gives that for free or is giving that in a racist manner.

There may be individuals that will sponsor/offer scholarships of sorts, yes, but if they’re going to do that, they are already going to do that on their own volition.

‘More support of diverse althletes.’ I’m not against it, but I can’t wrap my head around how that would happen, I guess.

[Anonymous]

I think that more efforts should be made to find athletes in nontraditional settings, and to give them coaching and support. If all the elites in X sport are white, what does that say about X sport? Does it involve a lot of money, or access to venues that are closed to the public?

So we should start at the grass roots level to ensure that more people have the option of becoming a world-class athlete. But once they're at that point, choose the objectively best one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do you mean "a factor"? The fact that the team, which was put together through meritocracy, happens to be more diverse is great. It's representative of the country it's supposed to represent, and shows that the pipeline has widened.

That people like Fox Vice Presidents see diverse Olympians and assume that a more qualified white man somehow got cheated out of his due is predictable BS.

Yup.

A whiter, straighter Olympic team would be a worse Olympic team, trolling from Fox notwithstanding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do you mean "a factor"? The fact that the team, which was put together through meritocracy, happens to be more diverse is great. It's representative of the country it's supposed to represent, and shows that the pipeline has widened.

That people like Fox Vice Presidents see diverse Olympians and assume that a more qualified white man somehow got cheated out of his due is predictable BS.

Yup.

A whiter, straighter Olympic team would be a worse Olympic team, trolling from Fox notwithstanding.

I'm not familiar with the premise of this thread. Is Fox talking about the WINTER Olympic team? According to NPR there are 242 US athletes, 10 African American, 11 Asian American and 2 openly gay. Surely even Fox can't argue that this represents much diversity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes or no? Why or why not?

Yes, and then let black athletes start five seconds earlier across all competitions, as a form of affirmative action.

Fair is fair.

Sort of like the head start on stupid society gave you.

[Anonymous]

No. But resources at other levels should be directed to help more kids/diverse population ethnically and economically be able to participate in a sport. Through non profit organizations models.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think that more efforts should be made to find athletes in nontraditional settings, and to give them coaching and support. If all the elites in X sport are white, what does that say about X sport? Does it involve a lot of money, or access to venues that are closed to the public?

So we should start at the grass roots level to ensure that more people have the option of becoming a world-class athlete. But once they're at that point, choose the objectively best one.

I think in most winter sports, money is definitely an advantage. Figure skating coaches cost a lot of money, and so do other coaches for winter sports. With majority of winter sports being individual sports, your background can afford you a of advantage or disadvantage. I would like to see schools taking kids ice skating all over the country. They do it in Canada, and all the kids have to go. They even have skates provided for those who need them. The same with tennis, when a private is 70-140$ in this region, no wonder we aren't having high level tennis players right now. All spoiled, rich kids who have no motivation. Now, you take a not well off kid from another country and you give him some lessons and he jokes around, parents will stop paying because they barely have money for necessities. If that kid loves that sport he will work hard to prove to his/her parents that this is worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do you mean "a factor"? The fact that the team, which was put together through meritocracy, happens to be more diverse is great. It's representative of the country it's supposed to represent, and shows that the pipeline has widened.

That people like Fox Vice Presidents see diverse Olympians and assume that a more qualified white man somehow got cheated out of his due is predictable BS.

Yup.

A whiter, straighter Olympic team would be a worse Olympic team, trolling from Fox notwithstanding.

I'm not familiar with the premise of this thread. Is Fox talking about the WINTER Olympic team? According to NPR there are 242 US athletes, 10 African American, 11 Asian American and 2 openly gay. Surely even Fox can't argue that this represents much diversity.

Yes, the piece by the Fox news editor suggesting exactly this has now been pulled from their website.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2018/02/09/fox-news-exec-questions-whether-more-diverse-u-s-olympic-team-was-selected-by-merit/?utm_term=.ab36fadd3e1b

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think that more efforts should be made to find athletes in nontraditional settings, and to give them coaching and support. If all the elites in X sport are white, what does that say about X sport? Does it involve a lot of money, or access to venues that are closed to the public?

So we should start at the grass roots level to ensure that more people have the option of becoming a world-class athlete. But once they're at that point, choose the objectively best one.

I think in most winter sports, money is definitely an advantage. Figure skating coaches cost a lot of money, and so do other coaches for winter sports. With majority of winter sports being individual sports, your background can afford you a of advantage or disadvantage. I would like to see schools taking kids ice skating all over the country. They do it in Canada, and all the kids have to go. They even have skates provided for those who need them. The same with tennis, when a private is 70-140$ in this region, no wonder we aren't having high level tennis players right now. All spoiled, rich kids who have no motivation. Now, you take a not well off kid from another country and you give him some lessons and he jokes around, parents will stop paying because they barely have money for necessities. If that kid loves that sport he will work hard to prove to his/her parents that this is worth it.

Although in Canada you can skate or play hockey on any frozen pond. In much of the United States, you have to go to a rink which is incredibly expensive.

I don't think it's a good ROI to have kids learning to ice skate all over the US. If anything, in some parts of the country, I'd rather see small kids learn how to swim to avoid drowning accidents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think that more efforts should be made to find athletes in nontraditional settings, and to give them coaching and support. If all the elites in X sport are white, what does that say about X sport? Does it involve a lot of money, or access to venues that are closed to the public?

So we should start at the grass roots level to ensure that more people have the option of becoming a world-class athlete. But once they're at that point, choose the objectively best one.

Winter sports were invented and by are played by white people (and to a small extent East Asians). There are natural hockey rinks in Canada and Sweden. There are none in India or Kenya. There are mountains to ski in Colorado and Switzerland. There are none in Ghana and Laos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Olympics were never about the best athletes. The rules were set up to exclude professional athletes. Amateurs athletes were rich people who did not work. They did not want the competition from the lower class professional athletes. Also they take people from every country. So they already selects on diverse country of origins and not the best athletes. Many times the second best athletes will be from the same country, but will not go to the Olympics. While someone who is not ranked will attend.

But that's changed, with some variations by sport. Look at basketball - it's all pros. The top skiers are sponsored by red bull, barilla, putnam and others. Chloe Kim has sponsors out the wazoo at 17. Shaun White is his own brand.

I'm not sure where the line is. I'm fine for a teenager like Kim to be considered professional because she has sponsors. Otherwise, her ability to train would depend on her parents' wealth/ However, professional basketball in the Olympics takes all the joy and fun out of it.

Yes, and I'm happy the NHL players are not in the Olympics. Olympics should be for amateurs. Who decided to end amateurism in the Olympics? Would Miracle on Ice have been so great if it was just our millionaires against their millionaires?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think that more efforts should be made to find athletes in nontraditional settings, and to give them coaching and support. If all the elites in X sport are white, what does that say about X sport? Does it involve a lot of money, or access to venues that are closed to the public?

So we should start at the grass roots level to ensure that more people have the option of becoming a world-class athlete. But once they're at that point, choose the objectively best one.

I think in most winter sports, money is definitely an advantage. Figure skating coaches cost a lot of money, and so do other coaches for winter sports. With majority of winter sports being individual sports, your background can afford you a of advantage or disadvantage. I would like to see schools taking kids ice skating all over the country. They do it in Canada, and all the kids have to go. They even have skates provided for those who need them. The same with tennis, when a private is 70-140$ in this region, no wonder we aren't having high level tennis players right now. All spoiled, rich kids who have no motivation. Now, you take a not well off kid from another country and you give him some lessons and he jokes around, parents will stop paying because they barely have money for necessities. If that kid loves that sport he will work hard to prove to his/her parents that this is worth it.

Although in Canada you can skate or play hockey on any frozen pond. In much of the United States, you have to go to a rink which is incredibly expensive.

I don't think it's a good ROI to have kids learning to ice skate all over the US. If anything, in some parts of the country, I'd rather see small kids learn how to swim to avoid drowning accidents.

Funny you mention that. My kids had swimming lessons with their elementary school in Canada. Every week first period was at the rec center with the pool. It didn't cost any extra.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes or no? Why or why not?

Yes, and then let black athletes start five seconds earlier across all competitions, as a form of affirmative action.

Fair is fair.

Sort of like the head start on stupid society gave you.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think that more efforts should be made to find athletes in nontraditional settings, and to give them coaching and support. If all the elites in X sport are white, what does that say about X sport? Does it involve a lot of money, or access to venues that are closed to the public?

So we should start at the grass roots level to ensure that more people have the option of becoming a world-class athlete. But once they're at that point, choose the objectively best one.

I think in most winter sports, money is definitely an advantage. Figure skating coaches cost a lot of money, and so do other coaches for winter sports. With majority of winter sports being individual sports, your background can afford you a of advantage or disadvantage. I would like to see schools taking kids ice skating all over the country. They do it in Canada, and all the kids have to go. They even have skates provided for those who need them. The same with tennis, when a private is 70-140$ in this region, no wonder we aren't having high level tennis players right now. All spoiled, rich kids who have no motivation. Now, you take a not well off kid from another country and you give him some lessons and he jokes around, parents will stop paying because they barely have money for necessities. If that kid loves that sport he will work hard to prove to his/her parents that this is worth it.

Although in Canada you can skate or play hockey on any frozen pond. In much of the United States, you have to go to a rink which is incredibly expensive.

I don't think it's a good ROI to have kids learning to ice skate all over the US. If anything, in some parts of the country, I'd rather see small kids learn how to swim to avoid drowning accidents.

Funny you mention that. My kids had swimming lessons with their elementary school in Canada. Every week first period was at the rec center with the pool. It didn't cost any extra.

I can guarantee that your kids didn't get any BS advantage in the race just because of their skin color.

Did they?