Olympic Games Paris 2024 - AH Thread [Thread banned posters listed in first post.]

Yes, not sure of time, around 1pm I think.

Yeah exactly. Most heavy smokers I know who died of their smoking habit generally had years, sometimes decades, of expensive treatment long before that - things like oxygen cylinders being needed at home for years, or multiple hospital stays over a number of years to remove recurring build-up of fluid on the lungs and so on.

I don't know the numbers, but I'm finding it hard to believe there's much of a saving there. But I hear from doctor friends that there's far worse coming down the line in terms of healthcare spending with all the obese children who are going to become obese, unhealthy adults.

It's a time bomb. And spending a few million on better facilities for a few elite athletes is not going to negate that.

First plans after the Olympics should be to build a proper canoeing/rowing lake and a canoe slalom facility.Also building an indoor velodrome.

These are the types of sports I'd suspect we'd be able to be good at as a country .

Also think they should be working harder to get more corporate sponsorship for our Olympic athletes so they don't need to work, the women from the relay team you would think would be a marketing dream ( couple of them have model level good looks) they should be capitalising on this both for promotion of the sport and for generating an income for them so they can focus full time on the next olympics.

We have the lakes for it. Lough Derg is fantastic. Great location for most of Ireland to get to.

Oh a claim from a study run by Philip Morris - what could possibly be wrong with those findings?

It's not as though the tobacco companies have been hiding evidence for years or anything. 🙄

For decades, tobacco companies manipulated and misused science. They funded and disseminated favourable research and suppressed research that showed the harms of their products, deliberately generating misinformation.

People will instinctively improve their diets when they're involved in sports, particularly team sports.

AH yes, a study by Philip Morris. That's like a study into Christmas by farmers concluding that Christmas is good for Turkeys.

The thing that I couldn't understand was when Shelby McEwan from the US was tied with New Zealand's Hamish Kerr after both failing three jumps at 2.38 and both were getting a gold medal unless they decided to go back down through the heights to decide it. Kerr offered the tie but McEwan refused. Thry both failed 2.38 again and then 2.36, McEwan failed 2.34 and Kerr won the gold medal. At any stage between the heights they could have called it and I think Kerr would have agreed.

Why would you take a chance on losing a gold medal just to be called the champion on your own? For the rest of your life you are an Olympic champion even with the tie.

Read the last line

We have never had as much investment, facilities and participation in sports yet the diet of the bulk of the population is getting worse and many health issues are increasing. If we want to improve the health of the population it is obvious that diet must be the priority. Massive investment in sports already has not reversed the health trends.

I've heard that smoking savings link before too

However, smokers die some 10 years earlier than nonsmokers, according to the CDC, and those premature deaths provide a savings to Medicare, Social Security, private pensions and other programs.

Vanderbilt University economist Kip Viscusi studied the net costs of smoking-related spending and savings and found that for every pack of cigarettes smoked, the country reaps a net cost savings of 32 cents.

"It looks unpleasant or ghoulish to look at the cost savings as well as the cost increases and it's not a good thing that smoking kills people," Viscusi said in an interview. "But if you're going to follow this health-cost train all the way, you have to take into account all the effects, not just the ones you like in terms of getting your bill passed."

Other researchers have reached similar conclusions.

A Dutch study published last year in the Public Library of Science Medicine journal said that health care costs for smokers were about $326,000 from age 20 on, compared to about $417,000 for thin and healthy people.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/smokers-may-not-be-financial-burden-society-flna1c9465671

Ireland’s public sector does not and never has massively invested in sports

There has been massive investment from other sources. The quality of sports facilities all around the country is incredible. Never as good, never as many taking part. Obesity and many health issues still exploding. More investment into sports will enrich some individuals yes bur reverse the health crises, unlikely.

I've no problem with more investment but what is the aim, to improve the health of the population or to get more medals. Very different objectives and therefore different targeting of the money.

I live in Poland in a city that is about Cork’s size. Most schools have an excellent standard Astro pitch which is lined and netted and for about 6 a side. There are so many across the city. These pitches are mostly available to anyone to walk in off the street. In Ireland you don’t get near an Astro pitch without paying someone. sand and outdoor volleyball courts are dotted around the city. Skate parks- I only know one big one but there’s probably more. The city has a few 400 meters (I know of 3) running tracks and schools often have 60 meter running tracks. Cork has one in a university. the city has 3 stadiums, one not far off the standard of the Aviva, one around the level of turners cross which is used for very little apart from soccer training and one which is used for speedway and American football and events. I’m not sure how many 50 meter pools there are in here. Maybe 2 minimum. It also has a large indoor complex for the city’s volleyball and basketball teams. It doesn’t have a velodrome I don’t think.

Why do you say the standard of sports facilities in Ireland are incredible. Maybe I’m unfair but I find that a ridiculous statement to what I observe in this polish city.

Why is this on at 12.30 on a monday? Should have let them have the night out in Paris last night, relax today, and had the homecoming tomorrow evening when most people are finished work.

And here is sickly simon sticking himself front and centre…