Paintball in the Olympics?

[Stix]

OK then if you feel you need to be atheletic to shoot that's cool, but you cannot deny that you need no atheletic ability at all for Equestrion (Horse Back Riding). I mean come on you sit on a horse and make different clicking noises with your mouth to tell a TRAINED horse (probably not even trained by the rider) what to do. Equestrion is not a sport at all. At best one may say it's an art form.

And seriosuly if they make a high school gym game like Handball an Olympic sport why not Paintball? And don't give me that drug testing crap cause seriously if you had the oppertunity to go I think you would stop using. OR better yet I am sure there are some really good players out there that are smart enough not to use in the first place.

It is obvious that you have never done any serious horse back riding; anyone who truly has knows how physically demanding it is. I'm guessing you have no idea about the bad backs, bruised legs, bleedings knees, the list goes on. There are plenty of things if you screw up, you'll end up being seriously injured/hurt/mangled, no matter how good the horse. I've ridden a $2000 horse and a $150,000 horse, and sure the $150,000 is easier to ride, but I assure you that you will be extremely tired/sore after a full day of riding, if you can even stay on the horses' back for that long. Most people are lucky they can make it through just a morning ride. I've been a lot more sore from riding horses than I ever have from playing paintball.

You make it sound like as if Horse Back Riding requires no training whatsoever, but that fact that you even mentioned the clicking noises and visceral commands just shows that the rider has spent hours upon hours in the saddle training w/ the animal and developing a deep bond with the horse. You can't expect to jump in the saddle w/ any animal, no matter how trained and to have that type of communication.

[felony]

All great comments. I am sure bringing paintball to the O has been brought to the attention of the IOC. I dont think those men and women want a bunch of people shooting eachother. Screaming at eachother, throwing markers, etc etc in the olympic. Clean up the best of the best in the sport, strict guidlines to playing, strict rules, UNIFORM fields (nice job NXL). Other olympic events have exact specifications to make the playing level as even as can be. I just feel the paintball industry would be running around like a chicken with its head cut off if it got invited to the O. Some day it will wokr out though..

My suggestion is do everything possible to get PB in some way shape or form into the xgames. I think that would give us players some leeway into a national spotlight. WOuld give us credibility and then make our way to olympics.

Paintball goin from where it is now to an olympic event in the next decade is like a toddler on a tricycle hoppin in a tractor trailer and driving that instead. I just dont think it is feasable.

maybe i am just horribly pessimistic, but I can voice my own opinion.

[Automaggin2]

I'm waiting on beer pong to be made an official olympic sport

[PaintballSmurf13]

I think it should be an olympic sport, just about everything else is. It would HAVE to be X ball though, since it is a much more mainstream way of playing and much more demanding on the athlete's body. ...I SHOULD be an olympic sport as the NXL has the nation cups.
-Ryan

[Kaiser Bob]

I think the IOC (pretty much real old guys) would have a problem sanctioning an event where the competitors "shoot" at each other. In today's climate, with the threat of terrorism (and the perceptions there-of) I don't think you'll see any kind of gun-type combat allowed.

Not that things can't change, but until you get a younger generation get into the IOC leadership positions, Paintball is probably not on the table. X-Games, its a shoe-in, but the Olympics is going to judge the sport by the public's perception - which still is that paintball is a "war-game."

Hello? What about fencing? Definitely Olympic worthy, as it takes extreme dexterity, but why would a sport with its roots being hacking apart or stabbing your enemy to death be ok as opposed to a gun-type combat?

[mbyankee10]

Was'nt Even Considered

Paintball wasnt and most likely not be considered as an olympic event anytime soon.

[MasonFootball89]

Olympics

I would love paintball to be an olympic sport and thing that it would be perfect for the olympics.

[paullus99]

Fencing has a long & storied past - it has definitive rules, an international governing body & lost its "combat" stigma a long, long time ago. It will be more than a little different with firearms/markers (especially having people shoot at each other).

In today's world, its going to take a lot to overcome the "wargame" idea that most people have of the sport (with all the uncertainty, instability, and terrorist threats right now too).

[felony]

Fencing has a long & storied past - it has definitive rules, an international governing body & lost its "combat" stigma a long, long time ago. It will be more than a little different with firearms/markers (especially having people shoot at each other).

In today's world, its going to take a lot to overcome the "wargame" idea that most people have of the sport (with all the uncertainty, instability, and terrorist threats right now too).

well said.. what i wanted to say but couldnt put word to it.

dan

[Evil Preacher]

With all the bad calls going on this year, it seems like they are ready to make paintball an event.

Come on people. Every 4 years this comes up. Every 4 years it is "we are being wronged because paintball isnt a event." or "next year paintball will be an event" chants.

I put this in the trash with all the paintball should be on TV because it is the greatest sport ever comments.

Yes paintball is a sport, but it wont draw the attention that it needs with all the negitive things that are associated with the game.

And for those that say that there wont be any cheating, DREAM ON

Unless you put 4 refs in for each player, someone is going to cheat and get away with it.

This is my rant... Now I will go back to under my rock