Football issue as an Olympic sport

Football issue as an Olympic sport

The Olympics are unlike the other sporting competition on the earth. For 16 days, over 300 events representing 35 sports, and each country on the earth compete to require home their prized medals, and that I have looked forward to watch the Summer Olympics every 4 years since as far back as I can remember

. But there's always been something missing. One among the the hottest sports, and a top 10 sport throughout the planet, it's as if tackle and flag football might be Olympic sports by the year 2024, but issue obstacles remain for that to become a reality. 

First we'll rehearse some reasons why the road to getting American football included into the Olympics has not been a simple journey, followed by why we believe flag football to be the logical solution and selection as a future Olympic sport. WHY ISN'T American football ALREADY AN OLYMPIC SPORT? According to a piece of writing by NFL.com, the most important logistical problems facing the game of yank Football being included within the Olympics are very almost like that of Rugby.

 With the massive numbers of participants on each team, the “gender equality” formats where both men and ladies participate in every sport, and therefore, the compressed 3-week schedule that might be tough with a more physical game like football and rugby. Furthermore, for American footballs, the barrier to entry is high thanks to its cost to equip all players with pads and kit, and therefor has also been slow to adopt in many foreign countries, especially of the poorer variety. Knowing all this, it's hard to ascertain how either sport would be an honest fit the Summer Olympics. 

Rugby may be a lot like Soccer therein little or now is required to play the game regarding drugs and practice at it's base level, and features a larger international following. This among other reasons has recently allowed Rugby to be cleared for the Olympics starting in 2016, by changing the normal style to a less traditional “sevens” format which is quicker paced with fewer people; which could help carve an identical path for American football, or flag football more specifically.

 TACKLE SAFETY CONCERNS Even more and more high school, college, and pro teams are beginning to reduce the amount of contact practices, still sporting the likes of soft-padded headgear and shoulder pads for added protection. But what if we could limit the contact players see before high school and secondary school while also addressing a number of the concerns for the game associated with it being fully accepted into the Olympics?There're tons of talk recently revolved round the safety of tackle football, and not just within the NFL where concussions are a serious concern. 

Starting as far back because the youth football level, recent evidence has surfaced supporting the thought that even in need of a concussion, repeated head impacts and collision can manifest in similar brain injuries later in life for teenagers tested between the ages of 8-13. Many researchers are suggesting kids should not be playing football in the least, suggesting that kids, ' heads are “a larger a part of their body, and their necks aren, 't as strong as adults, ' necks. So kids could also be at a greater risk of head and brain injuries than adults.

” DREW Trees Believe FLAG FOOTBALL CAN SAVE FOOTBALL As of 2015, studies show that flag football is the fastest growing youth sport within the, greatly outpacing the expansion of traditional tackle football. Many individual high schools are making the switch to flag football over tackle, getting other schools in their regions to imitate creating organized leagues and divisions. It's even an officially recognized varsity sport in many nations, and with women especially flag football may be a thanks to allow easier participation versus the physical nature of tackle. And he is not the sole one.

 Recently Drew Trees was interviewed by Peter King for NBC's pregame show and had some strong words on why he believes flag football is the answer. “I desire flag football can save football,” Trees said. Brees coach his son's flag eleven, and played flag football himself through junior high school, never playing tackle football until high school. “I desire (flag football) may be a great introductory method for tons of youngsters into football,” Trees mentioned. “Otherwise I feel it's straightforward to travel in and have a nasty experience early then do not want ever to play it again. 

I desire once you set the pads on there are with great care many other elements to the sport, and you're at the mercy of the coach during a lot of cases too. And honestly, I do not think enough coaches are well-versed enough with regard to truth fundamentals of the sport especially when the pads continue at the youth level.” Many other pro athletes and coaches have expressed similar sentiments also, singing praises for the game of flag football, and therefore, the rise in popularity of the game echoes that. 

Flag football isn, 't a fluke or simply a recreational development tool that feeds into tackle football, it is a full-fledged movement that has its own identity and purpose, and it is time we recognized that distinction. Internationally it's gaining popularity also, much faster it seems than traditional American football where the barrier to entry is far higher with the necessity for full pads and kit. In Mexico as an example, flag football is booming in popularity where most consider it to be the #2 sport to soccer and shutting fast with and estimated 2.5 million kids participating just at the grade school level. 

International teams are beginning to make the trip to a number of the more popular American flag football tournaments, with representation from Panama, Indonesia, Bahamas, Mexico, Canada and a more standard occurrence. Everywhere you look, participation and interest within the sport flag football is exploding. 

At an adult level, it had been a record year for the game of flag football. New major tournaments are shooting up across the planet, seeing thousands of teams competing across all age groups, formats, and designs. Cash prizes are at an all-time high, expected to eclipse over $100,000 in team giveaways within the next civil year. Sponsors have started taking notice also, with the likes of EA Sports, Nerf, Hotels.com, Red Bull and other major brands seeing the worth and growth from flag football as how to effectively reach their audience in large numbers. 

Women's participation is at an all-time high also, mirroring its popularity at the youth level, and is the preferred format of play for American football in most Central to South American countries. So how does this all lead back to the Olympics and getting American football included as a politician sport? First, let's review a touch history on where the game stands today with the International Olympic Committee, or IOC. Historically, to be included into the Olympic Games as an indication sport, you've got to possess a world Federation and have held a World Championship competition. This must happen a minimum of 6 years before a scheduled Olympic Games. 

International Federation of yank Football, primarily focused on tackle football but includes flag in its tournament lineup, met this standard and was approved in 2012, and gained provisional recognition in 2014. This might pave the way for American football to be included as a politician sport, and flag football as possibly a discipline of said sport, however, the IFA has since faced setbacks. Thanks to allege scandal, event mismanagement and misappropriation of funds that can, 't bode well for the sports inclusion short term. 

Fortunately in 2007 the IOC adopted a replacement, more flexible rule set allowing programs to be up for review after every Olympics starting in 2020, clearing a path for all sports to present their case for being included by winning an easy majority vote. So the opportunity is there for American footballs to be included within the most prestigious sporting event around the world, but how can we overcome the obstacles presented by the structure of the game to suit the mold of a successful Olympic sporting event? FLAG FOOTBALL is the KEY TO OLYMPIC INCLUSION For every way tackle football doesn, 't fit the mold as a logical choice for the IOC, there's flag football. Here are the highest 4 reasons flag football should be considered as included because the next Olympic sport. 1. 

It's Less Physically Demanding than Tackle Football As we've already established, flag football may be a much safer alternative to tackle football. Fewer hits and collisions equals fewer injuries, and flag football is already a proven success model that's being praised for preserving the sport for future generations. But when it involves the Summer Olympic Games, safety is simply one aspect of the physical demands of the game, considering you've got but a 3-week window to suit altogether levels of competition, and therefore, the year-round activity needed to practice and qualify. Imagine playing 6-7 full contact football games with a limited roster all within a span of ~16 days, not to mention other possible qualifying events throughout the year.

 For flag football, it isn, 't uncommon to play 6-7 games during a weekend or sometimes even each day, therefore the sport is quite equipped for this sort of tournament play. 2. International Flag Football Interest is Exploding As mentioned above, this is often a serious issue when determining whether a sport is fit be considered, and while traditional American style tackle football is extremely popular worldwide also, flag football appeals to more countries. 

It is a lower barrier to entry as far as cost and equipment go, don't require full length and striped football fields to participate, and is simpler to carry larger tournament competitions and leagues to inspire local interest. 3. It Requires Fewer Participants, Depending on which format would be used (our guess is either 5v5 or 7v7), flag football requires far fewer participants than traditional tackle football.

 A part of this is often thanks to it being a less physically demanding sport, and therefore, the need for fewer substitutions, and another part thanks to needing less specialist players, like kickers, punters, special teams, offensive lineman, etc. Where each traditional tackle eleven would probably carry 50+ competitors, flag football would wish probably 15 players at the most, cutting that number to but a 3rd. This is often important because of the Olympics cap their total participants to 10,500 athletes and coaches.

 It also again allows more countries to compete, especially poorer countries, where fielding a smaller and fewer financially demanding team including the explanations above makes more sense. 4. it isn, 't Just a Men's Sport Gender equality may be a major emphasis for the IOC. The 2012 Summer Olympics marked the primary time all sports included competing women in their category. 

Today, any new sport that's added to the Olympic Games must include both male and feminine participants. For tackle football, there's just not nearly enough interest from women participators for it to form sense. While there are some female players, and even some female tackle football leagues and organizations, it just doesn, 't fit the mold, especially with the opposite issues concerning physicality and barrier to entry. For flag football this is often not a drag as detailed above with female participation booming internationally. Years.

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We hope that the article has won your admiration, and may God’s peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you 

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