Politics as usual:

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Iran swimmer avoids Israeli pool showdown in Beijing

An Iranian swimmer pulled out of the Olympic Games men's 100m breaststroke heats on Saturday, just minutes before he was due to compete against an Israeli rival.

Mohammad Alirezaei's lane one was empty when the field left the starting blocks while Israel's Tom Beeri, starting in lane seven, finished fourth.

Israel, the Middle East region's sole if undeclared nuclear power, considers Iran its main strategic threat because of its nuclear programme and repeated predictions of the Jewish state's demise by senior Iranian leaders.

During the 2004 Athens Olympics, Iran's judo world champion Arash Miresmaeili, one of the country's prominent gold medal hopes, refused to compete against Ehud Vaks of Israel in the first round out of solidarity for the Palestinian cause.

Miresmaeili, twice a winner of the flyweight world title, still received a 5,000-dollar award the Iranian National Olympic Committee had promised to medal winners and he was hailed by former President Mohammad Khatami for his stance.

Beeri made no mention of Saturday's non-appearance of Alirezaei post-race.

"It was okay for me, I have to be happy with that. It was a PB (personal best) for me and a national record, I am focusing on the 200 metres," he said.

"I wasn't nervous, I just came here ready and I wasn't nervous at all."

There had been reports that Iran would compete against Israel at these Olympic Games for the first time since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

The Iranian National Olympic Committee (INOC) had said that as there was "no face-to-face situation" in swimming there would be no problem in attending the competition.

"Alirezaei swims in lane one and the representative of the Zionist regime (Israel) in lane seven, so they will not face each other," INOC secretary Ali Kafashian told ISNA news agency prior to the race.

According to ISNA, also the country's sports organisation, which is part of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government, had confirmed that there would no be boycott in the race.

Such immaturity.

Quote: zooo @ August 9 2008, 8:29 PM BST

Japan has a nice easy one.

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But it's a bit boring! Think of all those teachers who use art lessons around the Olympics as an opportunity for flag making time, so that they don't have to plan anything! (It happens, I was doing work experience at a nursery during th World Cup and had to try to make various flags using only coloured tape and sugar paper.) Whichever kid gets Japan, or on whichever lesson is dedicated to it, won't exactly be entralled/enthralling.

Very true.
But then it leaves them more time to learn the Japanese alphabet, which must be, let's face it, fecking near impossible.

Quote: zooo @ August 10 2008, 12:56 PM BST

Very true.
But then it leaves them more time to learn the Japanese alphabet, which must be, let's face it, fecking near impossible.

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Agreed I started learning a few years ago.

Quote: zooo @ August 10 2008, 12:56 PM BST

Very true.
But then it leaves them more time to learn the Japanese alphabet, which must be, let's face it, fecking near impossible.

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Quote: zooo @ August 10 2008, 12:56 PM BST

Very true.
But then it leaves them more time to learn the Japanese alphabet, which must be, let's face it, fecking near impossible.

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!

Quote: DaButt @ August 9 2008, 8:30 PM BST

Politics as usual:

==================

Iran swimmer avoids Israeli pool showdown in Beijing

An Iranian swimmer pulled out of the Olympic Games men's 100m breaststroke heats on Saturday, just minutes before he was due to compete against an Israeli rival.

Mohammad Alirezaei's lane one was empty when the field left the starting blocks while Israel's Tom Beeri, starting in lane seven, finished fourth.

Israel, the Middle East region's sole if undeclared nuclear power, considers Iran its main strategic threat because of its nuclear programme and repeated predictions of the Jewish state's demise by senior Iranian leaders.

During the 2004 Athens Olympics, Iran's judo world champion Arash Miresmaeili, one of the country's prominent gold medal hopes, refused to compete against Ehud Vaks of Israel in the first round out of solidarity for the Palestinian cause.

Miresmaeili, twice a winner of the flyweight world title, still received a 5,000-dollar award the Iranian National Olympic Committee had promised to medal winners and he was hailed by former President Mohammad Khatami for his stance.

Beeri made no mention of Saturday's non-appearance of Alirezaei post-race.

"It was okay for me, I have to be happy with that. It was a PB (personal best) for me and a national record, I am focusing on the 200 metres," he said.

"I wasn't nervous, I just came here ready and I wasn't nervous at all."

There had been reports that Iran would compete against Israel at these Olympic Games for the first time since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

The Iranian National Olympic Committee (INOC) had said that as there was "no face-to-face situation" in swimming there would be no problem in attending the competition.

"Alirezaei swims in lane one and the representative of the Zionist regime (Israel) in lane seven, so they will not face each other," INOC secretary Ali Kafashian told ISNA news agency prior to the race.

According to ISNA, also the country's sports organisation, which is part of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government, had confirmed that there would no be boycott in the race.

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It's the hard working athletes I feel sory for. Training for years, wanting to do your best. Then knocked becuase your president's a dick.

Seemed fairly clear to me that it was the athlete's own choice.

You are kidding?

Iran is one of the most right wing dictatorial countries around.

It just looks better if it appears to be the individuals choice.

So what? You think that the athletes aren't c**ts too?

Where are we building our stadiums or whatever you call them for the 2012 Olympics? I assume it will be in London, but if the Millenium Dome is still completely useless then what on earth are we going to use the Olympic one for after it's all over?

I suppose we'll just have better sports facilities for everyone to use.
Which is nice.

Quote: Charly @ August 10 2008, 2:42 PM BST

Where are we building our stadiums or whatever you call them for the 2012 Olympics? I assume it will be in London, but if the Millenium Dome is still completely useless then what on earth are we going to use the Olympic one for after it's all over?

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The majority of it will be held in East London, which is at present quite the shite hole. The Olympics are basically a way to get cash to regenerate the area.

The main stadium is still looking for a new owner post-games, but it is expected to be a local football team. For some reason they will actually decrease capacity, by something like 20,000 IIRC.

Quote: zooo @ August 10 2008, 2:44 PM BST

I suppose we'll just have better sports facilities for everyone to use.
Which is nice.

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Giant swimming pools a mile long. That would be good.