I’m sure I’m the the first to think it or anything but it still bothers me that yoyoing isn’t considered in the Olympics. There is tons of throwers all over the world and honestly some of the sports (or what they call “sports”) really got me scratching my head wondering why this is on and not yoyoing. I seriously hope that one day it is considered because the skill is there the dedication is to and I would love to see yoyoing brought to the largest stage on earth 
I gave this one a lot of thought recently and decided that I’m actually not in favor of it because of how it would change the scene. Imagine how an Olympically trained team of yoyoers would decimate the regular competitive circuit.
Edit: Though if there were a way to keep it casual-ish like it is, the exposure would be cool. Imagine watching with your friends and being like “I know that guy!”
I think the Olympics are more about training your body for a specific event, not as much playing with a yoyo… Yes, yoyoers practice just as hard and all, but I think the contests we already have satisfy the need for competitions. To me the Olympics are more for actual sports, and yoyoing isn’t recognized by everyone as one yet. To most people it’s just a hobby or a toy.
It’s just going to be the same guys and girls who are already competing at high levels, but recruited by the nation they are citizens of. The other issue is scheduling. Worlds 2012 is in Orlando, and will be taking place during SOME of the Olympics, so there’s going to be either some “no shows” for Worlds because the Olympics are far more prestigious, or a lot of excessive travel.
I won’t say more ideas because it will cause issues and rub some people the wrong way. Mostly the “powers that be” or the “powers that want to be” people.
It would be interesting to see if they adopt the current rule sets in place for the major styles. AP would be tossed out the window for sure.
No
The Olympics seem to be more about physically exhausting endurance tests. I’ve never seen someone really sweating or panting for air…while yoyoing.
To me yoyo is more art than sport. Kind of like playing the guitar. Just like with music or yoyo, you start off learning the chords/mounts, and then figure out ways to combine them and create rhythms/tricks. Once you’re good enough you can start creating your own lengthy string tricks/songs. You’ll give your songs/tricks poetic/ironic names. You get calluses along the way.
However I for one support Olympic yoyoing out of my morbid curiosity…yes I want to see the kind of tricks a squadron of genetically modified super yoyo warriors hopped up on experimental performance enhancing substances create.
1 Like
SUPER YOYO WARRIORS!!!
First: You haven’t seen me yoyo. It’s a struggle! Maybe I sweat too easily. I’m certainly not panting for air though!
Second: In a word, ARCHERY. You don’t see people doing endurance tests for that sport. Another: air rifle.
The Olympics has ventured into X-Games type events. They have BMX biking and mountain biking in the summer. Winter has Snow boarding, which quickly went from exhibition to event.
Then they have the more artistic sports, such as figure skating including men and women singles, pairs and ice dancing. Gymnastics is always another one that has a more “artistic” performance element, as well as diving.
Not all events are as physical as others. The shooting sports aren’t as demanding, yet still require a high degree of skill.
I fail to see the athleticism in equestian events. Sailing, I just don’t get it unless they are doing 2-person catamarans or skiffs
It may be because the yoyo is still largely considered a toy. I’m too lazy to do research to see what it would take for something to be a candidate for consideration for a future Olympic sport. The things that play in favor for this is the international organizations regarding this, a more uniform set of rules that are being worked on, and a truly standardized set of judging criteria and scoring rules. The odds are that there’s more going in favor of yoyo being a possibility than not.
There’s also another point of concern. The Olympics used to be about amateurs, but it’s not anymore. It’s more about “my country vs all other counties” and whenever possible, our highest level “best of the best” athletes are recruited, regardless if they are amateur or pros. While the Olympics aren’t about the money(whatever), it is. I know sports are determined based on what people will most likely watch, and advertisers are calling the shots. Ideally, yoyo is gonna end up on the “wrap-up hghlight reel” they do each day, if we’re lucky. The 1-3 place performances in at least 1A and 2A might get broadcast. 3A might get 30-seconds to a minute as it looks too busy to most people. 4A and 5A 1st place might get air because of the “wow factor”.
We also have to consider interests around the world vary. I have no idea if they still do cricket, but they flat out don’t cover that in the United States. I’m not really interested in cricket, but I’d kind of like to see a match just to see what it’s like. Many other sports are not covered in the United States even for the Olympics unless we start dominating in it, otherwise it’s a passing mention in the nightly highlights reel EVEN if we(United States) win.
In the end it comes down to “can it be done, will it be done and should it be done”. Can it be done? Probably yes, but it will take some time and effort through appropriate channels. Will it be done? Hard to say. Should it be done? Again, even harder to say. I would like to see yoyo more mainstream, and stuff like the Olympics brings a broader scope of sponsors into the mix. So, should it be done? From the perspective of expanding the sport of yoyo, yes, it should be done. Then again, we’re back to “will it be done”.
I guess it’s not cool when you can carry around all your sporting gear in your pockets and still have room for your iPod for your music.
It’s not widespread enough. You can’t go out and hire a yoyo coach. Also, it’s not really a sport. It’s more of an art.
LOL
I defenitly think it shouldn’t. Japan/China would win every year :
Requirements in the barest terms:
1, it needs to have an International Federation that governs the sport, sets and enforces rules, organizes tournaments, etc.
I’m not sure Yo-yo is quite here yet. I think it’s heading in that direction.
#2, it needs to be practiced in at least 50 countries (female sports) or 75 countries (male sports)
Well, considering it is world-wide, that won’t be an issue. All of Asia, all of Europe, all of North and South America, the more “civilized portions of Africa”, and by that, I mean places that have at least sufficient mail in place to deliver small parcels. This is probably tied to areas with internet as well so they could place the order. We know of throwers in Kenya, and probably a lot of Africa at least has some access to internet and some form of mail. I think we can hit those numbers easily. Yoyo is only limited to where the items can be delivered.
#3, it needs to hold World Championships.
Done.
#4, it needs to be recognized by the IOC, and finally,
This is a key factor, but without item 1, it’s an administrative hurdle.
A sport can be recognized by the IOC but not be an Olympic event.
#5, it needs to be voted in to the games by a 2/3 majority of IOC members at the first IOC meeting following each Olympic Games.
This could be difficult. Selling the IOC members on something isn’t easy. It’s not that they are a pain to work with, it’s just they have a lot of stuff to consider even if they like the whole concept.
Read more: What is the criteria to host the Olympics? - Answers
Then again:
Widespread enough? It is. Hire a coach? Possible, especially if you live where there’s some great players. Go to meets, get serious!
Sport? Art? Hobby? A lot is open to interpretation, and even so, there won’t be a definitive answer. I think the ruling would end up being “hobby” because of it’s modern association with it being a toy.
People invest a ton of money into the Olympics, they make their money on viewercounts. Very few people will turn their TV on to watch yoyoing.
I think yoyoing has nothing to do in the Olympic Games. Having people that don’t have any idea of what yoyoing even is arranging contests is just a bad idea.
Well, if Speed Walking can be an Olympic event… I swear, that’s one of the dumber looking events.
I mean, not to go “TMI” on you all, but I do that darn near every morning as my bowels decide “Dude, time to purge the system” and I gotta book it down stairs post-haste before I have to change shorts! Considering that I have to wake up, get on the computer and phone immediately, Break 1 comes with the baby wakes up and time to change that kid’s diaper. Break 2 is when it’s time to “prevent me from needing diapers”.
Speed Walking looks like a gang of people all trying to get to a toilet before something “bad happens” and have already been force to commit to the next thing…
It’s all about money. What is the cure? We all do our part to at least share what we can do with others.
lol just no. Maybe you could start your own skill-toy Olympics, but if you let yoyoing in you have to let juggling, kendama, diablo, etc. in, all which are arguably more difficult and more physically demanding than yoyoing. It’s a toy, not a sport, stop glorifying a hobby.
1 Like
No.
Sorry I didn’t read all the posts but I’ll still respond. Studio42 raised some good points, particularly with archery no being very physically demanding. Equestrian events, though, are very physically demanding. I don’t think a yoyo event belongs in the Olympics because it simply doesn’t exhibit the mental and physical control that say archery does. Also, to get enough national teams, it would take years since most countries have no solid national yoyo governing body or anything of that sort. I believe they could find a home at the X-Games though
sport: an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.
athletic: physically active and strong; good at athletics or sports: an athletic child.
I really don’t see yoyoing ever being considered a sport in the Olypics, it just doesn’t make sense to me. The Olympics are all about the tough training like said before, and obviously, there is no tough training in yoyoing compared to, lets say, a swimmer. Besides, no one would watch it, maybe the few of us, but besides that, no one would. Although all the tricks are exciting to see, its not exciting enough, its too boring for other people who don’t yoyo. If you took a survey of people and asked them if they would rather watch Olympic Gymnastics or Olympic Yoyoing, I am sure the majority would choose gymnastics. As much as I appreciate yoyoing, it should never be more than a hobby. That is like having the game Magic: The Gathering in the Olympics, after all, it does require skill (sarcastic, but true). They are both just hobies, no matter what, they are just hobbies. If you can’t make it a Vegas act by winning America’s Got Talent like tried before, it shouldn’t be in the Olympics. I may sound a bit rude to yoyoing, but to me, that makes sense.
Good argument.
Cancel sailing for the same reason.
Cancel shooting for the same reason.
I’ll quit as soon as you do!
There’s 2 different sides of this for me. If table tennis can be in the olympics then so can yo-yoing and on the other side, there are also the yo-yoing world championships as a whole event of it’s own