Make poker an Olympic Sport

We are trying to make poker an Olympic Sport by 2012. We are lobbying the IOC to recognize the International Poker Federation Association. There is a petition at this link:

mod edit: blah blah spam removed

We do have a contact at the IOC. There is a REAL shot at this.

Thanks for the support

Well, if you make poker an Olympic sport, what about Rummy or Spades or even go fish...

I'm sorry, I'm not sure poker belongs at the Olympics. It's not an athletic sport...

Yeah hm, i dunno, table games shouldnt count to be in the olympics i dont think.

they would have to include chess and checkers and all types of popular card games lol

POWER SKATING, WEIGHT LIFTING, 100 METER DASH....poker.....

Doesn't fit for me man, sorry.

Yep, lifting those chips and tossing'em in the pot takes loads of athletic ability. I can see it now, there'll be medal competitions for 'poker chip tricks' (who'll get the first 10.0 from the Russian judge?!!) and 'poker face endurance'.

i scored a 9.5 from putin in the poker face endurance comp.

thinly veiled spam under a crappy "OMG OLYMPIC POKAR" guise, lol.

i haven't deleted the thread so we can all continue to comment on how hilarious the thought of olympic poker is.

An Olympic sport??? What next? 1500m cross dressing, syncronised parallel parking, 4 x 100m relay farting? With the greatest respect, poker is a wonderful passtime but it's not a sport. Mind you, I'd happily lobby for a womens Olympic team event just so I could see Jennifer Tilley swap shirts after the game.
Just a thought.

Snowman

XXX

Lamest. Idea. Ever.

Just had another thought...how would players like Phil Helmuth compete if they scored artistic impression over technical merit?

how would you pick that team ,everyone thinks thier the best.since the online era of poker has come to light everyone is a pro now.

We would just clone a bunch of hellmuth's.

gold medal is automatically awarded to the dude who plays with his feet.

Laugh if you want... Look it up, korfball is recognized. Something called "wushu" is recognized. Poker has a following and ratings.

Equestrian is a sport. Tug of war was a sport until around 1916 or 20. Check out the Olympics own website under "sports" if you don't believe me.

Would your poker heros play for the love of the sport? To reresent their country?

And I'm sorrry about the spam thing.

There was actually a cartoon about this awhile back. A bunch of really strong guys lifting the solid metal chips and cards. "If you want to go all-in, you've gotta really work hard".

Funny cartoon (wish I could find it, it's probably not that funny with me just telling you), but in reality, poker's not an olympic sport. When they put chess in, then maybe you'll have a case for poker.

Perhaps the World Card Game Championships

your kidding right? You know the difference between every single one of those and poker? The physical part of the sport! Its what makes it a sport! And no, sitting in one chair for 10 hours is not an athletic test.

All those sports require physical strength and endurance, which poker does not. Thats why they can be olympic sports and poker cant.



On a bright note: Most hilarious idea ever, gotta love it, probably the only sport where an 80 year old can be a gold medalist lol

bridge is recognized. look it up at olympics.org under sports. Sumo is recognized. Orienteering is recognized. Not much athleticism in that. Poker is more than just sitting on your kiester.

Poker must be a sport! They air it on ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNClassic all the time!

Nobody wants to watch girls in tight shorts play softball, why would they want to watch dozens of old men sitting?

That's a good point. They do it for WSOP

have you ever seen jennie finch, google her. best female softball player ever. and she is bad to look at either.

they should make the female players do jumping jacks between hands. that would get me to watch.

Are we also going to allow children in the Olymics?

That would make the girls in tight shorts more appealing.

Summer or Winter?

ok bridge i have no idea and if it really is an olympic sport then the only reason i can think of is because of the immense mental strategy involded (and no poker doesnt have anywhere near the strategy of bridge, and its more of a chance/luck game then bridge).

However, you just make yourself look worse and worse when u say sumo and orienteering have not much athleticism. Yea sumos are fat but believe me there is a lot of muscle and strength there. Orienteering, i take it you have never tried because doing what they isnt just as easy as following a compass like im sure what your thinking

I take it you have never done Orienteering ? I have. It involves a run of several miles over rough terrain.

I'll give you that. there is a lot of runnubg. But the point is that any activity with a governing body can become reconized by the IOC. All we need, as poker players, is support from within.

well when beer pong becomes an olympic sport maybe ill consider makin a push for poker but come on, are you serious? Only problem is like was said earlier, if poker becomes a sport what about games like solitaire? Chess? (even though that one could potentially have an argument lol) Backgammon? Dice throwing? The olympics were originated to be a PHYSICAL contest, I think having poker as an olympic SPORT would be a disgrace to the Greeks and everyone who is an olympic athlete.

i throw my dice the bestest.

better than you!


They need a chip shuffling event, i can do 14 now!

On further reflection I think we CC'ers could make a significant and relevant contribution to the concept of "Olympic Poker". We could turn it into a decathlon of sorts by adding sub-events straight out of CC. For example, I would propose we extend the "Phind Philthy a Photo Contest" to Olympian status, as well as a "find the freeroll password" competition. There's tons of possibilities...any other suggestions?

Okay, so here's a real problem for me. Your website claims this get poker recognized as an Olympic sport is supported by the "International Poker Federation Association." Exactly who are this group? Who are there leaders? What have they accomplished? In other words, what makes them legitimate enough for any poker player to want to support them?

The IPFA website is a blank on all accounts.

Poker players already have a worldwide non-profit association--the WPA. Do they support this drive? In fact, do any professional, respected players or individuals associated with poker support this?

Olympics...?? I don't see how poker would fit into the olympics.... How about speed reading in the olympics..? lol