12/21/24
July 28, 2005
An illegal touch: causes controversy in the World Swimming Championships. There is a suggestion for video replays 'like in other sports'. Lets get the debate started.
Registration? I read it fine.
posted by justgary at 01:15 AM on July 29, 2005
"Most sports in the world now have gone to video evidence to look at rule infractions or to double check decisions." Have they? Swimming and swimmers don't get their due from the sporting world - they're as fit as any athlete in any sport, and fitter than most, but they don't tend to transcend the sport very often. The reasons: 1) This kind of thing - i.e. elements of their sport are too open to interpretation ("That wasn't a legal breaststroke action!") 2) Identifiability - "Which one's leading?" "The one in the hat!" - Thorpe broke away from this in no small part because of his bodysuit, and also because he was always the one at the front. 3) Ebb and flow - changes in placings happen seldom and almost painfully slowly. I like this, I think it adds tension, but I suspect these days that people want to see more rapid "anything could happen" action. If they just fixed all that, the world would be their lobster. Next?!
posted by JJ at 05:28 AM on July 29, 2005
Now I just keep hearing "The Bad Touch" by The Bloodhound Gang over and over in my head. I don't grasp the objections to the instant replay. Are the judges lodged in the walls? If not, how do they view the finish of a race with any certainly? I mean, after all, the swimmers are, like, underwater and stuff.
posted by wfrazerjr at 08:55 AM on July 29, 2005
I had a date end the same way.
posted by yerfatma at 10:06 AM on July 29, 2005
wfrazerjr, the judges are there to make sure the swimmers don't make any illegal moves (primarily starts, turns and finishes). The timing is done with electronic touch pads.
posted by dusted at 11:59 AM on July 29, 2005
1) This kind of thing - i.e. elements of their sport are too open to interpretation ("That wasn't a legal breaststroke action!") That's probably the #1 reason that freestyle is the most popular event. Literally anything goes. Everyone swims front crawl because that's the fastest, but you could swim backwards trudgeon with a Monty Python kick and it would be perfectly legal. 2) Identifiability - "Which one's leading?" "The one in the hat!" - Thorpe broke away from this in no small part because of his bodysuit, and also because he was always the one at the front. And don't forget Thorpe's 20 inch webbed feet and unusual starting dive. 3) Ebb and flow - changes in placings happen seldom and almost painfully slowly. I like this, I think it adds tension, but I suspect these days that people want to see more rapid "anything could happen" action. The only event that has this is the medley, particularly the 400 medley. But yeah, even then it's just not much as a spectator sport.
posted by dusted at 12:09 PM on July 29, 2005
the judges are there to make sure the swimmers don't make any illegal moves (primarily starts, turns and finishes Yes, and each lane has one at each end, peering over the edge of the pool. I guess in this particular case, the human judge thought the finish was fine. I personally can't see how replays would add anything if the judge was doing their job.
posted by owlhouse at 02:44 PM on July 29, 2005
dusted, what's with that pic, was he just falling over or something?
posted by billsaysthis at 03:23 PM on July 29, 2005
Having said all that about it being not much of a spectator sport, I did stay up untill all hours at the weekend watching the Worlds. Bill - I think he lost his balance (or he was trying to give the others a chance).
posted by JJ at 05:31 AM on August 01, 2005
billysaysthis: yes, the photo caught him in the middle of a false start. You're not charged with a false start until your feet leave the blocks, so often swimmers will do anything to keep their feet touching (including falling almost straight down), hoping the gun goes off before their feet do.
posted by dusted at 08:16 AM on August 01, 2005
anybody got a link to a non-registration site?