Crap events

I'd rather have sex in the Olympics than shooting

Even if we chose your partner?

First off, I think the Olympics should promote and reward athletic ability. Not that that's the only thing - teamwork, skill, timing etc are involved too - but I think it ought to be an essential part of any event that is given medals.

The first medals won this Olympics were for the 10 metres women's air rifle. Now, I'm sure they're all very skilled and someone like me would make a fool of myself if I just turned up and had a go, but I just don't think that sort of thing should be at the Olympics. If you watch the video, they just stand there, no need to even walk around. I'd argue the same against archery and that horse crufts/ballet thing (heck, even normal horse riding has the horse being the main athlete).

The reason I say the Olympics should promote and reward athletic ability is because it's supposed to 'inspire a generation'. Now, I ask you, would you rather encourage kids to aspire to run the fastest, jump the highest/furthest and be the strongest, or get good at standing and shooting? Do you want kids to be active, or sedantry?

Finally, are there any events I've missed?

squash keeps getting rejected as an olympic sport, which is pretty stupid, it should definitely be an olympic sport

Yeah, it is more skillful to use a bow, but I still wouldn't call them athletes.

I found a video for the horse thing, where the riders get medals for just sitting on the horse. Fair enough they trained the horse, but not with any physical exertion on their part.

I think a good rule would be that if the activity in question involves an object (inanimate or otherwise) it must require more than trivial physical exertion on the part of the athlete in order to move the object for it to be an Olympic sport. Weight lifting, shot, javelin, archery, discus, relay, cycling etc are therefore included but I think it's fair that darts, racing or snooker aren't included as future Olympic events. By the same standards I think shooting and dressage should be removed.

Why dressage? Ive just written a post to someone else about this, probably will appear above this one. People are under the misconception that dressage riders do nothing when actually to do the sport correctly its meant to appear that way. Those riders are working just as hard as the other athletes to maintain that level of control and prescision. The horses used are normally difficult to ride, strong and tempermental as well, really difficult to ride and communicate with.
I would actually say its one of the hardest olympic sports.

It is only the first time they ride the horse in the modern pentathlon in all the other equestrian disciplines they will be long established partnerships

Where is the physical exertion to make the object (the horse) do as they want? Yes they have to know where to prod the thing but it's the horse that is doing the work. It's the same as if they introduced any form of racing cars into the olympics - it requires a lot of skill and concentration but no physical effort to make the car move.

yeah realised that... soz

A poor response deserves a poorer response.

I agree to an extent. Because the Olympics is 'sports' and i don't really think they are particularly 'sporty'
But then again the amount of skill and concentration in an archer or gun man [i think they're called?] Must be extremely difficult to obtain. So the fact that they are so focused is surely admirable?
In saying that... Darts and golf should be in the Olympics too?

My problem with your post is that you were talking about the shot put and pole vault events as if anyone could do them, when the reality is you've probably never attempted either of them in your life. Both require great physical and mental strength.