The Olympics are in contrast to another sporting competitors on the planet. For 16 days, over 300 occasions representing 35 sports activities and each nation on the planet compete to take home their prized medals, and I’ve seemed ahead to watching the Summer season Olympics each 4 years since way back to I can bear in mind. However there’s at all times been one thing lacking. One of many United States hottest sports activities, and a prime 10 sport all through the world, it appears as if deal with and flag soccer might be Olympic sports activities by the yr 2024, however problem obstacles nonetheless stay for that to turn into a reality. First we’ll stroll via some the reason why the street to getting American Soccer included into the Olympics has not been a straightforward journey, adopted by why we consider flag soccer to be the logical answer and selection as a future Olympic sport.
WHY ISN’T AMERICAN FOOTBALL ALREADY AN OLYMPIC SPORT?
In response to an article by NFL.com, the largest logistical issues going through the game of American Soccer being included within the Olympics are similar to that of Rugby. With the big numbers of contributors on every crew, the “gender equality” codecs the place each men and ladies take part in each sport, and the compressed 3 week schedule that may be powerful with a extra bodily game like soccer and rugby. Moreover for American Soccer, the barrier to entry is excessive because of it is price to equip all gamers with pads and equipment, and therefor has additionally been gradual to undertake in lots of overseas international locations, particularly of the poorer selection.
Understanding all this, it is laborious to see how both sport could be a very good match for the Summer season Olympics. Rugby is loads like Soccer in that little or no is required to play the game by way of gear and follow at it is base degree, and has a a lot bigger worldwide following. This amongst different causes has just lately allowed Rugby to be cleared for the Olympics beginning in 2016 by altering the normal fashion to a much less conventional “sevens” format which is quicker paced with much less folks, which may assist carve an analogous path for American Soccer, or flag soccer extra particularly.
TACKLE SAFETY CONCERNS
Even an increasing number of highschool, faculty and professional groups are beginning to scale back the variety of contact practices, nonetheless sporting the likes of soft-padded headgear and shoulder pads for added safety. However what if we may restrict the contact gamers see earlier than highschool and center college whereas additionally addressing among the issues for the game associated to it being absolutely accepted into the Olympics?There’s plenty of speak just lately revolving across the safety of deal with soccer, and never simply within the NFL the place concussions are a serious concern. Beginning way back to the youth soccer degree, current proof has surfaced supporting the concept even in need of a concussion, repeated head impacts and collision can manifest in related mind accidents later in life for kids examined between the ages of 8-13. Many researchers are suggesting kids should not be enjoying soccer in any respect, suggesting that kids’ heads are “a bigger a part of their body, and their necks are usually not as robust as adults’ necks. So kids could also be at a better danger of head and mind accidents than adults.”
DREW BREES BELIEVES FLAG FOOTBALL CAN SAVE FOOTBALL
As of 2015, research present that flag soccer is the quickest rising youth sport in america, drastically outpacing the expansion of conventional deal with soccer. Many particular person excessive colleges are making the swap to flag soccer over deal with, getting different colleges of their areas to observe swimsuit creating organized leagues and divisions. It is even an formally acknowledged varsity sport in lots of states, and with girls particularly flag soccer is a strategy to permit simpler participation versus the bodily nature of deal with.And he isn’t the one one. Lately Drew Brees was interviewed by Peter King for NBC’s pregame present and had some robust phrases on why he believes flag soccer is the reply. “I really feel like flag soccer can save soccer,” Brees stated. Brees coaches his son’s flag soccer crew, and performed flag soccer himself via junior excessive, by no means enjoying deal with soccer till highschool. “I really feel like (flag soccer) is a good introductory technique for lots of kids into soccer,” Brees talked about. “In any other case I really feel it’s extremely simple to go in and have a nasty expertise early on after which not need to ever play it once more. I really feel like as soon as you place the pads on there are simply so many different components to the game, and also you’re on the mercy of the coach in plenty of circumstances too. And to be sincere, I do not suppose sufficient coaches are well-versed sufficient regarding the true fundamentals of the game particularly when the pads go on on the youth degree.” Many different professional athletes and coaches have expressed related sentiments as nicely, singing praises for the game of flag soccer, and the rise in recognition of the game echoes that.
Flag soccer is not a fluke or only a leisure development device that feeds into deal with soccer, it is a full-fledged motion that has it is personal identification and objective and it is time we acknowledged that distinction.
Internationally it’s gaining recognition as nicely, a lot sooner it appears than conventional American soccer the place the barrier to entry is way greater with the necessity for full pads and equipment. In Mexico as an example, flag soccer is booming in recognition, the place most take into account it to be the #2 sport to soccer and shutting quick, with and estimated 2.5 million kids collaborating simply on the elementary college degree. Worldwide groups are beginning to make the journey to among the extra standard American flag soccer tournaments, with illustration from Panama, Indonesia, Bahamas, Mexico, Canada and extra a typical prevalence.
In every single place you look, participation and curiosity within the sport flag soccer is exploding.
At an grownup degree, it was a document yr for the game of flag soccer. New main tournaments are popping up internationally, seeing hundreds of groups competing throughout all age teams, codecs and kinds. Money prizes have been at an all time excessive, anticipated to eclipse over $100,000 in crew giveaways within the subsequent calendar yr. Sponsors have began taking discover as nicely, with the likes of EA Sports activities, Nerf, Lodges.com, Purple Bull and different main manufacturers seeing the worth and progress from flag soccer as a strategy to successfully attain their target market in giant numbers. Girls’s participation is at an all-time excessive as nicely, mirroring it is recognition on the youth degree, and is the popular format of play for American soccer in most Central to South American international locations.
So how does this all lead again to the Olympics and getting American soccer included as an official sport? First, let’s assessment somewhat historical past on the place the game stands as we speak with the Worldwide Olympic Committee, or IOC.
Traditionally, So as to be included into the Olympic games as an illustration sport, you must have an Worldwide Federation and have held a World Championship competitors. This should happen a minimal of 6 years earlier than a scheduled Olympic games. The Worldwide Federation of American Soccer, primarily centered on deal with soccer however contains flag in it is match lineup, met this commonplace and was accepted in 2012, and gained provisional recognition in 2014. This might pave the best way for American soccer to be included as an official sport, and flag soccer as probably a self-discipline of stated sport, nevertheless the IFAF has since confronted setbacks because of alleged scandal, occasion mismanagement and misappropriation of funds that can’t bode nicely for the sports activities inclusion brief time period. Fortuitously in 2007 the IOC adopted a brand new, extra versatile rule set permitting applications to be up for assessment after each Olympics beginning in 2020, clearing a path for all sports activities to current their case for being included by profitable a easy majority vote.
So the chance is there for American soccer to be included in probably the most prestigious sporting occasion all over the world, however how can we overcome the obstacles offered by the construction of the game to suit the mildew of a profitable Olympic sporting occasion?
FLAG FOOTBALL IS THE KEY TO OLYMPIC INCLUSION
For each approach deal with soccer would not match the mildew as a logical alternative for the IOC, there’s flag soccer. Listed below are the highest 4 causes flag soccer must be thought of to be included as the subsequent Olympic sport.
1. It is Much less Bodily Demanding than Sort out Soccer
As we have already established, flag soccer is a a lot safer different than deal with soccer. Much less hits and collisions equal fewer accidents, and flag soccer is already a confirmed success model that is being praised for preserving the game for future generations. However in the case of the Summer season Olympic Games, safety is only one facet of the bodily calls for of the game, contemplating you have got lower than a 3 week window to slot in all ranges of competitors, and the year-round exercise wanted to follow and qualify. Think about enjoying 6-7 full contact soccer games with a restricted roster all inside a span of ~16 days, to not point out different doable qualifying occasions all year long. For flag soccer, it is not unusual to play 6-7 games in a weekend or generally even a day, so the game is greater than geared up for this fashion of match play เว็บบอล.
2. Worldwide Flag Soccer Curiosity is Exploding
As talked about above, it is a main problem when figuring out whether or not a sport is match to be thought of, and whereas conventional American fashion deal with soccer is extraordinarily standard worldwide as nicely, flag soccer appeals to extra international locations. It is a decrease barrier to entry so far as price and tools go, do not require full size and striped soccer fields to take part, and is simpler to carry bigger match competitions and leagues to encourage native curiosity.
3. It Requires Fewer Members
Relying on which format could be used (our guess is both 5v5 or 7v7), flag soccer requires far fewer contributors than conventional deal with soccer. A part of this is because of it being a much less bodily demanding sport and the necessity for much less substitutions, and one other half is because of needing much less specialist gamers, resembling kickers, punters, particular groups, offensive lineman, and so forth. The place every conventional deal with soccer crew would in all probability carry 50+ rivals, flag soccer would want in all probability 15 gamers at most, slicing that quantity to lower than a third. That is necessary as a result of the Olympics cap their whole contributors to 10,500 athletes and coaches. It additionally once more permits extra international locations to compete, particularly poorer international locations, the place fielding a smaller and fewer financially demanding crew coupled with the explanations above makes extra sense.
4. It is Not Only a Men’s Sport
Gender equality is a serious emphasis for the IOC. The 2012 Summer season Olympics marked the primary time all sports activities included competing girls of their class. At the moment, any new sport that’s added to the Olympic Games should embody each female and male contributors. For deal with soccer, there’s simply not almost sufficient curiosity from girls participators for it to make sense. Whereas there are some feminine gamers, and even some feminine deal with soccer leagues and organizations, it simply would not match the mildew, particularly with the opposite points referring to physicality and barrier to entry. For flag soccer this isn’t an issue as detailed above, with feminine participation booming internationally.
NEXT STEPS FOR FLAG FOOTBALL AND OLYMPIC INCLUSION
So how can we take the subsequent steps to experience the momentum of flag soccer straight into the subsequent accessible Olympic games? The IFAF has already helped start the method of getting the game of American Soccer in entrance of the IOC lately, however with their public points and seemingly no motion since 2014 extra must be completed to maintain shifting ahead. What we do know is that flag soccer is being taken significantly in any respect ranges for actually the primary time in historical past, with main organizations making strikes to get extra into the flag soccer house and the creation of larger and extra worldwide occasions to gasoline the game. We consider that both on it is personal, or as a self-discipline of deal with soccer, flag soccer WILL be included within the Olympics at some degree within the subsequent 10-20 years.
If that occurred, what do you suppose that may do to spice up the recognition and legitimacy of the game of flag soccer long run? Tell us within the feedback beneath!