So you want to be an “Olympian” …
If the USA qualifies teams to the 2012 Olympics in Artistic Gymnastics, they would be allowed to put 5 men and 5 women on the Floor. A total of 10 competing Olympians. (reduced from 12 in Beijing)
Yet in Swimming they could send as many as 52 Olympians. (26 men and 26 women)
In Athletics (track and field) … 126!
I got these numbers from a post by Andrew Thornton – Andy’s Proposed Selection Procedures and World/Olympic Format…
Is this fair? Is it smart?
No. … But I’m not expecting it to change any time soon. IOC has made it clear they do not want to increase the number of Olympic competitors.
… Perhaps we should propose to move Gymnastics sports to the Winter Olympics.
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Update: Skyrider 95 points out that a maximum of 4 trampolinists could qualify for the U.S.A. … And we could add Rhythmic gymnasts.
The point Andy makes in his original article is that Women’s Artistic Gymnastics is one of the biggest single draws of all Olympic sports. Why limit the maximum number to 5 when the same nation can send 26 women in swimming events? … If we used the same logic as Athletics, the USA could send 4 women on Beam, 4 different women on Vault, etc.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 