Sean Ingle’s suggestion to hold the Olympics every two years is interesting (Paris was great, so why not hold the Summer Olympics every two years?, December 30). However, another option is to include some or all indoor sports in the Summer Olympics alongside current sports, where International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules require snow and ice to be compulsory sports. It will probably be removed from the list and included in the Winter Olympics. Unique features.
This not only maximizes the visibility of the biennial Olympics, but also reduces the financial and logistical burden associated with hosting the Summer Olympics, and builds the excitement and interest in the Winter Olympics to the point where the Olympics can be held. It will extend beyond the reduction in the number of countries.
In 2014, I proposed this in a media interview when I was elected as the new president of the international federation under the IOC. Needless to say, I was not popular among my contemporaries in the IOC and other sports circles. But it’s still a good idea.
brian cookson
Former President of the British Cycling Federation (1996-2013), International Cycling Federation (2013-2017)
In response to Sean Ingle’s suggestion that the Olympics should be held every two years, the current argument is that the Olympic Games’ job is to generate income and reach audiences, rather than the culmination of physical and mental effort. It is tempting to question prevailing capitalist assumptions.
The Olympic cycle, like the football World Cup cycle, recognizes the conditions of our existence. These are ritual culminations, not constant distractions like regular sports. The Premier League champions have two months to bask in victory before heading out again. Let’s compare this to the World Cup. At the World Cup, we (perhaps) reach the peak of euphoria, and then, in any case, if we are British, a state of deep sadness.
The same goes for the Olympics. They are far enough away to be a culmination, and long enough to change us and them before a new edition comes out. When Keeley Hodgkinson takes to the track in Los Angeles, our Paris babies will start school, and who will she be by then? Are you a confident winner or are you falling into the trap of fame and success? If you love sports, the milestones in your life should be far enough apart that you can see changes in each other.
ross styles
cambridge
After Sean Ingle asked why the Olympics shouldn’t be held every two years, Michael Bree replied: “Perhaps because the word Olympics means a four-year period” (Letters, December 30). However, the word Olympiad means a period of four years. Because it’s the gap between the Olympics. If the games were held every two years, the second year would be the Olympics. I did not agree with this article. Because the World Athletics Championships are held every two years and European athletes get to shine at the biennial European Championships as well.
Claire Chandy
bristol
The meaning of “Olympics” could change to two years, and a four-year interval could become “World Cupiard.” Are you sure?
Dr. Mike Davis
blackpool
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