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it is not a sport and it just degrade the Olympics

"Should pole dancing join the Olympic party?"
In a word, NO.

You even dare to call that a sport ? That's insulting to the very spirit of Olympics. Get a grip.

What the h#@* Absolutely not!!!

That this question even arises, we have truly lost our way.
Goodbye Olympics.

If either of you had ever tried pole dancing or pole fitness you would understand the Incredible poise, strength, grace and skill required. Come to think of it, what is so different from this and gymnastics for example, except this is a vertical pole and those are horizontal?

Yes if they perform nude...like the original Olympians
If they have clothes what's the point?

for sure yes!!!

Sure, why not? This stuff is incredibly difficult to do and amazing to watch when done by a professional. We already have women doing ridiculous flips and tumbles on a mat in front of a crowd in a form-fitting outfit. I don't see how this is much different from that.

Dunno about pole dancing, but lap dancing should be.

Should pole dancing join the Olympics? Should ballet? Capoeira? Krav Maga? Kabaddi? That Afghan game with the headless goat carcass?

There are plenty of physically demanding activities that people partake of, but the Olympics are already a bloated, overly hyped advertising juggernaut and I don't see why we need to ad to the madness with a 'sport' that was originally designed as raunchy entertainment when burlesque got to be passe. There are more sports that probably should be removed from the Olympic lineup than added in.

This just proves that women need to look at themselves and realize that women keep themselves down, it is not men's fault. I am a female.

A definite NO is my vote. Many activities require dedication and muscle tone that does not mean they should be in the Olympics. For the traditional/honor of the games...let this one fade.

If this becomes an event in the Olympics, then I will simply stop watching the Olympics.

Simple.

I don't think that this is anything more than "me too".

Any MEN interested in this ...perversity... or is it to be dominated by only women ? I think I smell a fish.

Absolutely, along with stripping and turning tricks. Maybe they could work in drug peddling and loan sharking as well.

Well I guess now I might have a reason to see the Olympics:)

Absolutely! And I'd like to take this opportunity to nominate mud wrestling for the future games!

Yes and yes.Why not? If the guys who make a proposition for a such discipline persistently continue to lobby for the idea it may work.And, after all, that could be very interesting, not as a "main stage" event, rather as "entertainment olympic".

Aesthetically, pole dancing, when performed as an exercise as opposed to a titillation, Is not radically different in nature from rhythmic gymnastics, synchronized swimming or even figure skating and they're each included in the Games, so, theoretically, why discriminate against the pole? But I think the bigger question is whether the Olympics needs any more sports or whether it actually needs to downsize. In the last 20 years or so the Games have become increasingly amorphous and increasingly unwieldy which has diluted their impact. For example, as I understand it, tickets for some of the less popular Olympic sports have yet to sell out for the London Games. Maybe the public is trying to tell the IOC something? Let's face it, the symbolic significance of having some sports in the Olympics is only of concern to those with a vested interest – i.e the fans and practitioners of that sport. To the general population (and let's not forget the Olympics are a cultural celebration not just a sports event) these sports are often little more than a curiosity which wouldn't be missed if they weren't there., So to add another minor event to the Games in the interest of being eclectic is just vanity, and, more importantly in these tough economic times, an added expense to an already obscenely expensive undertaking. So, no, keep pole dancing off the Olympic program and also look at pruning some other events that lack mass appeal. And, while they're at it, get rid of tennis, golf, men's basketball, and men's football, which each have ample exposure on the international stage and boast high profile world championships that supersede Olympic glory by some margin.

yes, i think it has absolute merit as an olympic sport. however, i think we'd be hard pressed to get past the tee-hee factor in men whilst still calling it "pole dancing". i have a "pole" for working out at my home, my husband knows i use it for a workout, but it still conjures the less wholesome connotations that people who participate in the activity as a sport are in the thralls of combatting. so, i call it the "vertical bar". just changing the title has an effect. that would go right along with parallel bars, horizontal bar, and balance beam.

...trying to achieve something that is clearly out of ones league.

Maintain the Olympic bar for athletes, not "part time" wannabe gymnasts!

Sure it is hard, but so is dancing, golf, surfing or flipping a pencil around my hand wrist!

Yes, absolutely! Pole competitions have being going on around the globe for many years and the men and women who perform are simply phenomenal! It is an extraordinary sport and art form of strength and agility, well deserving of the Olympics!

I'll watch it only if there are no clothes.

Pole Art SHOULD be in the Olympics! For those who are not familiar with the direction that it has taken check out http://www.poleart.org or Google Oona Kivela who used to be an Olympian. If you are over 22 in most of Olympic sports you are a has been. Some of the greatest pole artists in the world are in their 40's and one national competitor is 61 year old! It is about time that there is an opportunity for older competitors to shine in a sport!

HELL YEAH!

No.

If I want sport, I will watch the Olympics.
If I want just a form of entertainment, I'll go to a show or switch on the TV, etc.

Hhhhhmmm to be nutral at this matter pole dancing does test one's physical and mental discipline although wouldn't it just be considered dancing but what do i know i just like to watch anyway

It will sell advertising, so that is what this is all about....I go to the US, all the coverage is about American athletes. Here in Canada, most of the TV coverage on the Olympics is about Canadian athletes. It's all BS....we seldom see the world's best sports anyways, so why not let the women show off their trim! I think they have allowed curling in the Winter Olympics. That is about as athletic as being a card shark! I would prefer they consider roller derby..then the Olympics would garner my attention. The best sport around..what happened with RD anyways????

Let me get this straight. The geniuses on the Olympic Committee got rid of women's softball. The reason? The U.S. won too much. Now, they want to replace it with golf (not a sport. It's a game) and pole dancing (not a sport. It's a wood creator).

What has happened the the pure sport that is was when the modern games were created? Now it's become a cash cow.

I'm done with it.

any of you out there who want to watch to see a girl in a skimpy outfit are immature and should not be watching the olympics anyway. There are plenty of other ways for you people to watch preteen foreign girls undressing, and you should probably get some therepy to overcome these issues. The rest of you who look down on people who partake in this sport need to get a grip. If you put a stripper on the balance beam she could probably be erotic with it. If an athlete is a true artist with the " "vertical bar" then the sport should be taken seriously and not be ridiculed by people who know absolutely nothing about it other than what they have seen at their local strip club. The bottom line is any sport can be practiced with or without respect and proffesoinalism, and an athlete needs to have both to be an olympian.

Seems that the pole is the biggest disagreement here and the "thorn" in most eyes. Since this "sport" cannot be performed without it, then paint it black. Kidding asisde, every sport that is being played at the Olympics these days derived from something that was sinister in nature at its origins. The Greeks organized the first Olympic games to distance the human physical capabilities from the atrocities of wars and to prove that physical skill, strength, and stamina, could be rewarded by gold, or silver, or bronze, – most importantly – self satisfaction, and not a human sacrifice or result in death. Romans, as you remember, were very fond of gladiators' "games" which turned into more sophisticated and less bloody Olympic sports. But I digress.
To decide, ask yourself this question (that should also be asked before any sport can be allowed at the Olympic Games, or any games whatsoever): wold you like your son or daughter to perform this sport in public or not?
Would I want pole-dancing at the Olympics in its current version? – NO. But, if it's more refined and matured, and regulated, sure – why not.

Pole dancing: YES
Roller Derby: YES

No.

This should be a joke, right? Comparing it to the Rhythmic Gymnastics and Figure Skating does not justify it! all of them are wrong and humiliating, women in sexy bikinis performing seductive moves! how can we call this a sport? just because it needs poise and strength doesn't make it a sport! Maybe soon we will see Kama Sutra in the Olympics, who knows!

There is no need to add yet-another-wannabe to the already bloated games. I am sooo bored watching the semi-finals of competitive line dancing and yodeling waiting for something that is moderately interesting to come on, that I don't waste effort thinking about the Olympics as a "must see" any longer. It's more ad-driven airtime. There's no competitive in it when it's commercially focused. Why not put sponsorship logos on the athlete's uniforms? It would make more sense that way. I can hear it now... "Women's floor event brought to you by Staples Office Supplies...That was easy..." (as if!)

Ok, so fine. So pole dancing is hard. So is raising 2 teenaged daughters to maturity as a single dad. There's no olympic event for that, but I doubt any of the athletes would challenge my endurance and mental focus in this years-long event. YOU try negotiating with a 16 year old girl that she does not need to have her driver's license like every other kid in school.

Let's get a frickin grip here. The Olympics don't solve or prove anything with long term value. Let's solve a bigger issue, like, how to fix the world's financial and employment markets which are currently crumbling around us.

CNN-SPORTS: Yes, next on today's Olympic venue is pole dancing follwoed by the first round of Tiddlywinks.

Just because it's difficult doesn't mean it is worthy of the Olympics. If that were the case every guy and gal in the circus would be heading towards the Olympics – even the clowns.

Hay bale throwing isn't included either, or rodeo, cage fighting, cliff diving, piano moving, financing the better 401K or cat herding – and a lot of us participate in that!

Yes, I’ll admit it. I have been known to pole dance. And yes, there are pictures to prove it. No, you’re not seeing them. And I can assure you I didn’t take my clothes off. But I will say that an afternoon meant to be a bit of fun was one of the most painful and bruise

Pole dancing is not a sport and should not be allowed at the Olympics. This is to say that anything that requires a little effort and sweat is a sport. What country can mow a lawn the best or clean the entire house. Kinda absurd.

Then you might as well add lawn mowing, wall painting, land tilling, orange harvesting, cotton spinning etc. The Olympic sports must be pruned down there are just too many pretenders in there.

count me in as one of the judges.

Why?

Simple – advertising revenue and nothing else. The Olympics like most sporting events is now only a vehicle for revenue generation from Television coverage a which is driven by advertising dollars and is not about actual excellence in sports.

Don't believe me?

How many ugly athletes do you see being featured on pre Olympic coverage? Really ask yourself next time you see a special segment on an athlete or a sports personality.

Have you ever wondered about he selection criteria for that coverage?

No well think again most of that coverage is being pushed by the advertisers working for the sponsors of that athlete.

So why not pole dancing? Advertisers would love the guaranteed audience.......and at least for once the audience might actually find the footage compelling.

No! There are enough events now that don't blong in the Olympics.

Sorry, but if EQUESTRIAN / DRESSAGE can be a sport in the olympics, so can this. And don't even get me started about curling in the winter games.

And did anyone actually WATCH the video. Tell me there's not as much strength and balance (and practice) requirement as a gymnast.

Please, NO.

It's all about how your imagination works really... If you turn off the stereotypes in your brain, then you can see the real beauty without the sleazy part of it... Look at the expressions of the athletes and their body movements. It's a Russian ballet combined with acrobatics, it can have a beautiful story and it can lead to development emotionally...

Pole dancing was never a sport and am still wondering if the right question should be "should pole dancing be included in the Olympics". IT SHOULD NEVER BE INCLUDED IN THE OLYMPICS, PERIOD.

sure, why not? we already have ridiculous events like synchronized swimming and rhythmic gymnastics, which should be relegated to beauty pageants. and curling, which requires virtually no athletic ability. and all the "hot dog" skiing events, which have little to do with the olympic motto "swifter, higher, stronger" but instead revolve around who would look more cool in a mountain dew or red bull commercial.

Should fellatio be an Olympic sport? Idiots.

Why are they wearing clothes. Every pole dancer I ever saw had nothing on and wanted money from me. Why are these bimbos any different

Pro wrastling should be included as well., or maybe femal naked boxing. Yeah lets get the naked babes boxing , Im all for that

Would the Polish team have an unfair advantage?

Yes. But it should be performed by the gymnastic athletes. They will be able to bring respectablility to pole dancing as a sport.

ABSOLUTELY NOT. STOP IT NOW – THIS IS THE OLYMPICS!

If men hurting each other and throwing spears is the basis of the Olympics, then women should be allowed to degrade themselves equally. The only real question is, should there be male pole dancing?

hell yeah, why miss another opportunity for ogling scantily clad women spreading their legs (I bet men competing will be fully clothed).

Yes let them be in the olympics. It is a great skill to have and takes a lot of strength and stamina to compete in that type of sport. It also gets women out of the kitchen

I believe pole dancing it is 100 times a more physical demanding sport than ICE CURLING.or for that matter ridding a horse and jumping obstacles.
In my opinion Pole dancing is a dramatical and challenging as any gymnastics sport.

SO YES

Was this a slow news day or what? This is absolutely preposterous.
No NO NO NO.
You might as well make strip tease an olympic event.
What idiot decided to give legitimacy to this story?

According to recent media reports, quite a bit of 'pole' dancing occurs in the Games Village.

No – I feel its erotic connotations make it immodest for an Olympic scenario. Do it at home.

Not if the dancers pictured are the competitors

Its a metter of perception. This is a tough sport. Its an ancient martial sport in India. practiced mostly by men. The pole is usually wooden and quite thick. Its called malkhamb. Its quite tough and the moves are a bit different. There are jumps etc Noone thinks its erotic.

gymnasts are already twirling around props in skimpy clothes. This is not that different.

Why for we can't see those pictures Amanda?

If a game where people run around with brooms between their legs, while pretending they are flying is a sport, then why not this?

The Olympics belong to the ARISTOCRACY. So, unless sports such as bowling and pole dancing are associated with and performed by the ARISTOCRACY,

The Olympics began many centuries ago for Greeks to display military prowess without actually killing each other. Do you think javelin was always so banal? It grew out of a spirit of pure competition where glory could be attained from pure sport that was also applicable to the lives of the countries they represent. While the idea of pure sport and competition remain there are examples that skew our perceptions of what is pure sport. We allow synchronized swimming, Ice skating in pairs and singularly, surfing, and other athletic displays that are an example of personal artistry within a certain theater. Even if pole dancing is a place where it's used for arousal in an overwhelming degree, isn't it still a display of athleticism within a certain parameter that can be judged? Are of you curlers? That's a random sport..

I agree JCP. I see more skin on the male swimmers, in the Olympics. And, see just as much skin on the beach. If you guys look past your anatomical mental challenges, you will see the body of athletes. Check out Wikpedia and other information on the sport.

Olympics games are a good event for every nation in the world bcoz Our religon Islam told us sports is part a of humun body. i know Athletics is mother of games but it is very sorry to say our country is very back of this game. no one any sportsman or woman who was stand on the top rank. the major reason is that their is no facilities in our country and no one who hero in this game. But i like Athletics.

why you are targeted to Islam. like Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Qwaut, Afghanistan. Why ???????????.
Islam is peace ful religon not tarist religon. Give me Ans. Who is ready for answer Giving me???????????????

I can hears the commentators now "'Sparkles' and 'Chardonnay' are the early favorites to win the gold but you can't rule out 'Candi' and 'Sahara' to pull out the upset. The field is thinned out a bit with "Alizay" being sidelined with a friction burn and 'Cheyanne' out with what is simply being called 'a rash'. Coming to the Olympics stage first, iiiiiiiiIIIITTTTTTT"s Destiny!"

NOPE

didn't read article
moving on.

ABSOLUTELY YES!!

Anything that makes the Olympics exciting to watch (literally) must be included.

I will add catfigth as well ... Ooops, sorry, already included: it is called female wrestling

It isn't a good idea :s

Should pole dancing join the Olympic party? NO, but it is very welcome to join the after-party!!!

Is this article serious? lololol

I nothing against strippers and though who do pole dancing but I don't think pole dancing should be displayed as a sport. I wouldn't want my kids watching men or women dancing on a pole (even if they are in clothes).

I'm amazed at those who express such strong, close minded opinions about a SPORT they know nothing about. First, I must clarify that this sport includes both females and males. Second, its called pole dancing, aerial pole, or vertical pole. Its not stripping and does not include erotic dancing. Erotic dancing is found in an erotic dance club. Do I really need to explain this? Smh. EVERY argument that I have heard that is against pole dancing entering the olympics ais filled with misinformation and stereotypes. In my opinion, arguments based on ignorance is not valid.

As a person who have pole danced for 2 years, I have heard every joke in the book and have been asked several times what club I work in and do I take off clothes. The answer is no, no, no! Lol. Pole Dancing is a sport that is still largely unknown to many, so I do understand the preconceived notions. The athleticism, strength, and flexibility that professional pole dancers exhibit is astounding. Many performances that I have watched is not erotic, but is actually quite beautiful, artistic, and impressive. Aerial pole should be in the Olympics. It deserves a chance.

if pole dancing becomes a sport, it would destroy the integrity of the Olympics.