Zika, drugs, and medals: The Rio Olympics thread

[Malthus]

I don't follow the Olympics much, but by pure random chance my wife and I watched the Gold heavyweight bout yesterday, with the Russian vs. the Kazak boxers. Did any of you see it?

At the end of the fight, it looked obvious to this total non-expert that the Kazak  guy won it: I don't know how boxing is scored, but the Kazak appeared to be beating the crap out of the Russian, including bunching him hard in the face, and the Russian looked like he could barely stand up. Halfway through the final bout, the Russian was beaten in a way that opened a cut in his head, and got a lengthy time out for medical attention.

Yet the gold was awarded to the Russian.

The entire stadium erupted in boos (with the exception of a small group of Russian fans).  I guess it looked to them like it did to us: that the judging was wonky.

But then, I readily admit that what I know about boxing judging could be written on a thumb-nail, so who knows?

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/tishchenko-wins-controversial-boxing-heavyweight-gold-rio-232055413--oly.html

[alfred russel]

I'm not an expert on scoring, but Olympic boxing is a joke. To get the subjectivity out of it, it is scored based on the number of punches that connect, which is defined as the white part of the gloves making contact with the opponent in a predefined area. Considering that with the helmets and limited number of rounds it is very difficult to get a knockout, it basically makes Olympic boxing an elaborate game of tag.

[celedhring]

I'm not an expert on scoring, but Olympic boxing is a joke. To get the subjectivity out of it, it is scored based on the number of punches that connect, which is defined as the white part of the gloves making contact with the opponent in a predefined area. Considering that with the helmets and limited number of rounds it is very difficult to get a knockout, it basically makes Olympic boxing an elaborate game of tag.

Pretty sure it is scored similarly to pro boxing nowadays.

EDIT: There you have, http://www.rte.ie/sport/olympics/2016/0807/807551-olympic-boxings-new-scoring-system-explained/

Personally I think that with such short bouts, the subjectiveness of judges becomes more of an issue.

[Gups]

I'm not an expert on scoring, but Olympic boxing is a joke. To get the subjectivity out of it, it is scored based on the number of punches that connect, which is defined as the white part of the gloves making contact with the opponent in a predefined area. Considering that with the helmets and limited number of rounds it is very difficult to get a knockout, it basically makes Olympic boxing an elaborate game of tag.

They've got rid of the helmets this year.  And they've dropped punch counting scoring - it's now decided by the judges 10-8 or 10-9 as for pro boxing.

[DGuller]

I don't follow the Olympics much, but by pure random chance my wife and I watched the Gold heavyweight bout yesterday, with the Russian vs. the Kazak boxers. Did any of you see it?

At the end of the fight, it looked obvious to this total non-expert that the Kazak  guy won it: I don't know how boxing is scored, but the Kazak appeared to be beating the crap out of the Russian, including bunching him hard in the face, and the Russian looked like he could barely stand up. Halfway through the final bout, the Russian was beaten in a way that opened a cut in his head, and got a lengthy time out for medical attention.

Yet the gold was awarded to the Russian.

The entire stadium erupted in boos (with the exception of a small group of Russian fans).  I guess it looked to them like it did to us: that the judging was wonky.

But then, I readily admit that what I know about boxing judging could be written on a thumb-nail, so who knows?

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/tishchenko-wins-controversial-boxing-heavyweight-gold-rio-232055413--oly.html

I wouldn't question the integrity of the judges.  It sounds like they kept their promise even when it was very hard to do.

[alfred russel]

I'm not an expert on scoring, but Olympic boxing is a joke. To get the subjectivity out of it, it is scored based on the number of punches that connect, which is defined as the white part of the gloves making contact with the opponent in a predefined area. Considering that with the helmets and limited number of rounds it is very difficult to get a knockout, it basically makes Olympic boxing an elaborate game of tag.

Pretty sure it is scored similarly to pro boxing nowadays.

EDIT: There you have, http://www.rte.ie/sport/olympics/2016/0807/807551-olympic-boxings-new-scoring-system-explained/

Personally I think that with such short bouts, the subjectiveness of judges becomes more of an issue.

That is good to hear.

[The Brain]

I don't follow the Olympics much, but by pure random chance my wife and I watched the Gold heavyweight bout yesterday, with the Russian vs. the Kazak boxers. Did any of you see it?

At the end of the fight, it looked obvious to this total non-expert that the Kazak  guy won it: I don't know how boxing is scored, but the Kazak appeared to be beating the crap out of the Russian, including bunching him hard in the face, and the Russian looked like he could barely stand up. Halfway through the final bout, the Russian was beaten in a way that opened a cut in his head, and got a lengthy time out for medical attention.

Yet the gold was awarded to the Russian.

The entire stadium erupted in boos (with the exception of a small group of Russian fans).  I guess it looked to them like it did to us: that the judging was wonky.

But then, I readily admit that what I know about boxing judging could be written on a thumb-nail, so who knows?

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/tishchenko-wins-controversial-boxing-heavyweight-gold-rio-232055413--oly.html

I wouldn't question the integrity of the judges.  It sounds like they kept their promise even when it was very hard to do.

[CountDeMoney]

I wouldn't question the integrity of the judges.  It sounds like they kept their promise even when it was very hard to do.

Of course you wouldn't, cossack.  Fuck, why are you even on this side of the fucking planet?  I'm just going to start editing all your posts with .ru already, fuck almighty.  #[email protected]



Oh, and it's not like we've seen this before in Olympic boxing:
http://deadspin.com/5931226/was-this-disgraceful-olympic-boxing-match-fixed

[Ed Anger]

I enjoyed watching women's volleyball, US vs Japan.

[11B4V]

I enjoyed watching women's volleyball, US vs Japan.

Slopes lost.

[11B4V]

I wouldn't question the integrity of the judges.  It sounds like they kept their promise even when it was very hard to do.

Of course you wouldn't, cossack.  Fuck, why are you even on this side of the fucking planet?  I'm just going to start editing all your posts with .ru already, fuck almighty.  #[email protected]



Oh, and it's not like we've seen this before in Olympic boxing:
http://deadspin.com/5931226/was-this-disgraceful-olympic-boxing-match-fixed

Eh, I would have to watch it before going all spastic about it.

[grumbler]

I wouldn't question the integrity of the judges.  It sounds like they kept their promise even when it was very hard to do.

Of course you wouldn't, cossack.  Fuck, why are you even on this side of the fucking planet?  I'm just going to start editing all your posts with .ru already, fuck almighty.  #[email protected]



Oh, and it's not like we've seen this before in Olympic boxing:
http://deadspin.com/5931226/was-this-disgraceful-olympic-boxing-match-fixed

I think we need an irony tag here.  You missed it, bro.

[Jacob]

I wouldn't question the integrity of the judges.  It sounds like they kept their promise even when it was very hard to do.

Of course you wouldn't, cossack.  Fuck, why are you even on this side of the fucking planet?  I'm just going to start editing all your posts with .ru already, fuck almighty.  #[email protected]

whoosh

[CountDeMoney]

I have no patience for pro-Russian trolls anymore--not in the Ukraine and not on Languish.   

[Eddie Teach]

Russians don't do irony.