Is soccer relevant at Olympics?

May 28, 2008   •   Bejiing Olympic Soccer, Medals, Players, Venues

Several major stars have been blocked from playing for their countries (Kaka the most notable ) in this years Olympic soccer tournament. Other countries do not even bother to enter. The age of players is mostly restricted to U23 with a few exceptions per team for older players. The soccer tournament was mostly a sideshow until a few years ago.

But don’t tell that to the Latin American countries. Coaches have been fired, Mexico’s Hugo Sanchez got the sack for not getting his team in this year and Brazil is going with Dunga to try an ensure victory in Beijing.However Brian Homewood of Reuters , based in South America and one of the top football commentators had this to say about whether Olympic soccer has a place on thge international stage anymore: “The present format, which has been in use since 1992, appears to have found some acceptance and there have certainly been some high spots, notably when Nigeria beat Brazil and Argentina to win gold in 1996 and Iraq’s remarkable run to the semi-finals at the last Games.

But, with so much soccer being played elsewhere, many people wonder whether the sport really ought to have a place at the Olympics at all.”